What is Scrum: Introduction to the Popular Agile Framework

Quick Summary: Scrum development or Agile Scrum methodology is crucial for Agile software development. Read the blog to learn the Scrum Agile framework, its lifecycle, how Scrum works, its advantages and disadvantages, the difference between Scrum and Agile, and Scrum best practices and tools. Hope you enjoy it!

“Necessity is the mother of invention.”

The notion is especially true and significant regarding different software development techniques and technological advancements. Software development and implementation is not everyone’s stick to hold. It demands years of expertise, decades of knowledge, and proficiency in IT competencies for various industry verticals.

Therefore, considering the latest trends and technologies, an organization must offer its clients the highest quality services and products to enhance its reputation and increase customer loyalty. According to CompTIA Research Report, the total investment in modern technologies will hit over $1.36 trillion in 2023. Wow, it’s remarkable!

With clients increasing expectations and rising market demands, some projects involve ongoing development and a quicker time to market. Consequently, it led to the evolution of a novel paradigm for the Agile software development services to accomplish fast and consistent development. Wondering which evolution we’re talking about? Any guesses?

Evolution of Scrum technology!

Scrum is the newest weasel word surrounding the IT industry. Moreover, Agile Scrum development illustrates the organization’s commitment to learning and skill enhancement throughout the project. As said, smaller operations spaced over time are preferable to one big event.

A little confusing, right? Let’s understand it with a simple example.

The term – Scrum - was adopted from the rugby game. In rugby, a squad of attacking players from each team line up, hunch their shoulders and link arms before pushing into one another and attempting to capture possession of the balls. So, this is how Scrum works (will get into more detail in the following sections).

Curious to know more about the Scrum Agile framework? No worries, we’re here!

We’ll help you gain a thorough understanding of distinct aspects of Scrum and Agile project management in this blog. Most importantly, we’ll learn – what is Scrum in Agile methodology? And understand other aspects of Agile Scrum methodologies. This short and sweet guide will help you accomplish your projects quickly and efficiently.

So, let’s get going!

Integrate High-Performing Scrum Agile Solutions to Enjoy Value-Driven Business Growth

Contact Us Today

What is Scrum Development (or Agile Scrum Methodology)?

Starting with the basics, we’ll first understand – what is Scrum framework?

Scrum is one of the best-known Agile software development frameworks popular for team collaboration. It is also one of the best software development methodologies that encourages teams to identify the problems, learn from their mistakes, self-organize while tackling challenges, and think back on their strengths and weaknesses to continue progressing.

As part of the DevOps as a Service ecosystem, the Agile Scrum framework enables the resolution of complicated challenges to manufacturing goods and services with the highest possible value. It’s far more than just a process that outlines a sequence of iterations, allowing you to produce high-quality goods on schedule and keep costs.

But what is Agile Scrum development in practice?

So, in practice, the Scrum Agile framework is designed to be lightweight, user-friendly, and easy to understand. Scrum technology is all about breaking projects into pieces, called sprints. These sprints allow higher transparency and numerous opportunities to analyze and adapt the next sprint, the overall project, and the complete process.

Agile Statistics 2023 indicates that Scrum is the most popular Agile approach with over 87% of Agile practitioners following it most closely.

The Agile Scrum framework consists of scrum roles, teams, artifacts, and ceremonies. Each element within the scrum framework has a defined objective and plays a significant role in scrum development.

Now you understand what scrum development is or, in other words - what Agile Scrum methodology is? Hence, coming to the essential part of our blog – what is Scrum in Agile methodology?

What is Scrum in Agile Methodology?

So, to understand - what is Scrum in Agile methodology? Understanding Agile and Scrum is more important.

The Agile methodology is a well-known approach in software development and different industrial sectors where project requirements can change rapidly. Hence, Scrum or Scrum Agile framework is one of the most popular and well-known frameworks in Agile project management.

Scrum is an incremental and iterative framework that helps dedicated software development teams deliver high-quality solutions efficiently and quickly. It is based on the core principles of transparency, inspection, and adaptation and offers a flexible and collaborative technique to project management. Or, we must say, efficient Scrum-based project management.

Agile is a comprehensive approach, while Scrum is the project management framework that adheres to the core principles of Agile, also referred to as the Agile manifesto. Okay, let’s understand it this way, your company could have an Agile development team that doesn’t use Scrum, but Scrum technology will always use the Agile approach. It is also often referred to as Agile Scrum development methodology. Therefore, Scrum is an Agile framework that helps software teams collaborate and deliver the best outcomes.

Deliver Unique Digital Experiences with the Help of the Best Agile Software Development

Opt Best Agile Services

We bet now you’d thoroughly understand the topic – what is Scrum in Agile methodology? So, before directly diving into – how Scrum works – it’s essential to know the Agile Scrum lifecycle.

Hence, the following section is all about the Agile Scrum lifecycle.

Understanding Agile Scrum Lifecycle

The entire Agile Scrum lifecycle process is initialized with scrum sprint planning and a prioritized backlog. Several sprints are involved in the process, and the final product is presented as a prospective shippable element.

Apart from that, all the tasks associated with software product development are accomplished during these sprints.

It takes approx. 2-4 weeks to complete the entire Agile Scrum development process, including the time window for evaluation and feedback. Each sprint is different as a version of the finished product is delivered during each sprint and provided to the client with the least effort.

Here are the significant components that make up the Agile Scrum framework:

1. Scrum Roles

Scrum approaches are typically regarded as the most significant step in the direction before initiating any project because of their growing popularity. Moreover, there is now greater demand for a certified scrum master and other scrum-related professionals. People are also opting for more Scrum certifications. We’ve mentioned the roles and responsibilities of Agile Scrum development since it is a detailed and specific structure.

• Scrum Master
• Scrum Team
• Stakeholders
• Product Owner

2. Scrum Events

The set of sequential actions, procedures, and meetings that scrum teams regularly conduct are among the well-known elements of the Scrum Agile framework. Any software development services providers need to take care of all these events when opting for Agile Scrum development. We’ve shortlisted a rundown of noteworthy events that a Scrum team participates in.

• Organizing the Backlog
• Scrum Sprint Planning
• Sprint
• Stand-up
• Sprint Review
• Sprint Retrospective

3. Scrum Artifacts

Artifacts are things that humans design, such as tools for problem-solving. Let’s list the three major scrum artifacts, which remain constant for the scrum team, and invest at a regular duration.

• Product Backlog
• Sprint Backlog
• Sprint Goal

4. Scrum Rules

Scrum rules are the Scrum fundamentals utilized in the Agile software development lifecycle that should be implemented in a Scrum framework.

Now the main question arises – how Scrum works? You need to look forward to the next section to answer the question.

How Agile Scrum Methodologies Work?

How Scrum works? Or we may also ask how Agile Scrum methodologies work.

Let’s get the question sorted!

The Agile Scrum development process is an evidence-based process that focuses on facts, feedback, and rapidness. The Scrum process model involves the following empirical process:

• Build a hypothesis
• Test it
• Reflect on the experience
• Make modifications
• Repeat the process

To understand the Scrum process model more efficiently, it's essential to understand what happens in the Agile Scrum development process. Pro Tip - Always make sure to follow different software management practices.

Following are the primary Agile Scrum methodology steps you should follow:

1. The Agile Scrum development process begins with a wish list of features, also known as the product backlog. In this phase, the Agile development team discusses all the activities they require to complete and the total time it will take to complete one sprint.
2. Always remember - sprints play a crucial role in the Scrum Agile framework. You need to divide the project into sprints. When you complete one sprint, the team moves on to another sprint. Sprints continue until the project deadline is accomplished. Moreover, each sprint ends with a sprint review. It's the best part of Agile Scrum development methodology.
3. Daily scrum meetings are a necessary step of the Agile Scrum development process, as they help you keep track of the project progress and plan your activities accordingly. These meetings should be short, goal-oriented, and compulsory for all team members.
4. When a sprint closes, the team will transfer the entire code to the deployment stage. Then, the team will complete the sprint with feedback and start a new sprint. This process goes on and on until you have the product in front of your eyes.

That was all about – how Scrum works?

Use Best Project Management Approaches as a Game Changer for Your Tech Solutions

Tell Me More

Let’s now move ahead and understand the advantages and disadvantages of opting for Agile Scrum methodologies.

Advantages of Agile Scrum Methodology

Let’s start by exploring some significant advantages of Agile Scrum methodologies.

• Time to Market - Using the Scrum Agile framework often results in faster delivery than other frameworks or methodologies. This speed up the time to market for new software solutions or features.

• Cost-Effectiveness - Opting for an Agile Scrum development approach can be affordable for a business. Why? As it usually needs less documentation and management than other software project management methodologies.

• Increased Transparency - Agile Scrum methodology ensures that your dedicated development team is focused and efficient. It does it partly by generating transparency amongst team members and between different teams, internal stakeholders, and customers. Any modifications to any project section are visible to every member, no matter how small the change is. This builds and enhances the trust factor between all the parties.

• Adaptability and Flexibility - Scrum Agile framework is flexible and adaptable and ideal for various environments and scenarios requiring a flexible approach. This is the reason businesses prefer it for enterprise agile transformation services.

Disadvantages of Agile Scrum Methodology

Let’s go through some significant disadvantages of opting for Agile Scrum methodologies.

• Requires Lots of Training - If your team is not experienced, it requires training. This is a time-consuming process, as every team member needs to understand the advantages, the thought process, the artifacts, and the entire Scrum process. If you’re starting from the ground up, expect this to take weeks or months before your team is fully prepared.

• Challenging to Scale - Deploying Agile Scrum methodologies on a bigger scale requires valuable experience, comprehensive training, and collaboration. It can rarely be used on large-scale projects with larger teams. And due to this, it's complex to implement and manage successfully.

• Require Experienced Team - Because Agile Scrum development involves longer periods of intense work and dedication, your team should be able to perform their tasks successfully. And in the case of developers, we would suggest you hire software developers that are experienced and proficient in their respective domains.

• Works with Small Teams - Believe it or not, Agile Scrum methodologies usually work best with team members of no more than 10.

That was all about the advantages and disadvantages of Agile Scrum methodologies.

Streamline Half-Baked Projects with Radixweb’s Software Project Rescue Services

Begin Your Rescue Journey

In the above sections, we discussed Agile and Scrum together (like parent and child nodes). However, to efficiently understand Agile and Scrum, it’s imperative to understand their differences. And the following section is all about that.

What is the Difference Between Agile and Scrum?

Although Agile and Scrum go hand in hand and are complementary to each other, they also have some significant differences.

We’ve touched on a few of the main differences between Agile and Scrum methodologies following:

• Scrum is rigorous, whereas Agile metrics tend to be more compliant.
• In contrast to Scrum, which involves regular stand-up meetings, Agile emphasizes face-to-face communication and interaction among members of cross-functional teams.
• Scrum creates small, independent projects, whereas Agile produces everything after the process.
• While Scrum can be innovative and exploratory, Agile has simple maintenance.
• Agile has team leaders that play a pivotal role throughout the complete process; on the other hand, scrum values and encourages a self-sufficient cross-functional workforce.

Moving towards the end of the blog, we’ll now discuss some of the best practices and tools we can rely on while opting for Agile Scrum development. And believe us, they’ll be a significant help.

Why wait, then? Let’s begin.

Scrum Best Practices

These are some of the best tips and tricks every enterprise software development company swears by when using Agile Scrum methodologies. Let’s look at them.

• Keep your Sprints Practical - Never try to achieve more than your team members can practically manage and handle. Also, make sure to keep your teams between three to nine members.

• Display Your Progress - Maintaining open, transparent, and simple team communication is crucial. And one of the best ways to do this is by using Scrum boards that everyone can see and read at first sight, from your team members to business owners to clients who need to stay aware of the progress.

• Keep Daily Meetings Short and On Point - The daily meeting and stand-ups are a vital part of the Agile Scrum methodologies. However, you must manage them properly and ensure your team doesn’t waste time.

• Utilize Burndown Chart - Instead of using traditional project progress charts that present all the work accomplished so far, you can consider using a burndown chart.

• Using Right Project Management Tools - Nowadays, the project management software available in the market is so flexible and sophisticated that you miss out if you’re not using it (And don’t worry, the next section is all about the best tools).

As mentioned in the last best practice, you're missing out if you’re not using Agile Scrum management tools. And it's true! So, in the following section, we’ll learn some of the best tools we can use during Agile Scrum development.

Want to Integrate Next-Gen Digital Ecosystem to Drive Better Business Outcomes?

Choose Digital Transformation Services

Best Scrum Tools

The following are the best tools you can use for Agile Scrum development:

• VivifyScrum - If your team consists of less than ten members, VivifyScrum can be a cost-effective option for your Agile Scrum development without sacrificing the quality or sophistication of your solution.

• Jira - If you’re a smaller company, Jira might be a bit too much for your team. There will come a point where it’ll lead to lots of confusion and minimize the time your team members spend completing their tasks. However, suppose you’re a well-established scrum team wanting to leave behind a proper workflow management system that isn’t complex enough for your activities. In that case, Jira might be the best option for your Agile Scrum development process.

• ClickUp - ClickUp tools provide a free service worth trying (if you’re an SME organization that doesn’t need an instant solution). With its help, you can see how your team members work with its UX features and choose whether you want to scale up or not into their paid plans and premium features.

Well, well, congratulations! Here comes an end to our blog. And we’re sure you can now answer the question – what is Scrum in Agile methodology? – in a pinch.

Summing Up!We’re optimistic that by now, you have a solid knowledge of the Scrum Agile framework, how Scrum works, its lifecycle, and- most importantly- how Agile and Scrum are linked and how Agile development with Scrum is highly beneficial.As exclaimed by professional software developers, the structure of the Scrum Agile framework is quite simple to follow and execute. The responsibilities, occurrences, entities, and regulations are all clear and understandable. This article also provides a background on the Scrum framework and utilization of Agile Scrum methodologies.However, apart from learning about working advantages and disadvantages, kindly note that Agile Scrum methodology implementation requires the presence of an in-house Agile Scrum master or an external service provider to guarantee Scrum fundamentals are being applied adequately.Furthermore, the Agile Scrum methodology requires exact execution and could have significant consequences if not deployed appropriately.Nothing to worry about! Radixweb is always happy to help.We at Radixweb, a leading software development company, are always there to assist you in creating state-of-the-art software solutions that will eventually help your business to grow, adding more feathers to your cap. We aim to develop and design software solutions according to your requirements that are also integrated with Agile Scrum methodologies for better efficiency.Contact us to turn your innovative ideas into reality with the proper expertise.