What is it
According to the Official Scrum Guide:
“Scrum is a lightweight framework that helps people, teams and organizations generate value through adaptive solutions for complex problems.”
The name comes from rugby, where a “scrum” is a formation where the team works together to move the ball forward. In software development, it represents small teams working collaboratively in short cycles called Sprints.
Pronunciation
IPA: /skrʌm/
Sounds like: “skruhm” - one syllable, the ‘u’ sounds like the ‘u’ in “cup”
Common mistakes:
- ❌ “scroom” (not like “room”)
- ❌ “s-crum” (not two syllables)
The 3 Pillars of Scrum
Scrum is founded on empiricism (decisions based on observation and experience):
| Pillar | Description |
|---|---|
| Transparency | Work and processes must be visible to those performing and receiving the work |
| Inspection | Regularly examine artifacts and progress toward goals |
| Adaptation | Adjust processes and products when deviations are detected |
The 5 Scrum Values
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SCRUM VALUES │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Commitment │ Focus │ Openness │
│ │ │ │
│ Respect │ Courage │ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘These values guide how teams work and interact with each other.
The Scrum Team (3 roles)
1. Product Owner
- What they do: Maximize product value
- Responsibilities:
- Define and communicate the Product Goal
- Manage the Product Backlog (list of pending work)
- Prioritize what gets built first
2. Scrum Master
- What they do: Enable team effectiveness
- Responsibilities:
- Facilitate Scrum events
- Remove team impediments
- Promote Scrum adoption in the organization
- Shield the team from interruptions
3. Developers
- What they do: Create usable Increments each Sprint
- Responsibilities:
- Plan the Sprint
- Maintain quality standards
- Hold each other accountable as professionals
The 5 Scrum Events
| Event | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Sprint | 1-4 weeks | Container for all work |
| Sprint Planning | Max 8h (1-month Sprint) | Plan what and how |
| Daily Scrum | 15 minutes | Daily synchronization |
| Sprint Review | Max 4h | Inspect outcomes |
| Sprint Retrospective | Max 3h | Improve processes |
The 3 Scrum Artifacts
Product Backlog
Ordered list of everything needed to improve the product.
- Commitment: Product Goal
Sprint Backlog
The Sprint Goal + selected items + the delivery plan.
- Commitment: Sprint Goal
Increment
The verifiable, usable output that meets the Definition of Done.
- Commitment: Definition of Done
Real-World Example: The Agile Pizzeria
Imagine you own a pizzeria and want to renovate the menu.
Traditional approach (Waterfall):
- Plan all 50 dishes for the new menu
- Buy all ingredients
- 6 months later launch everything
- Discover that nobody likes 30 of the dishes
Scrum approach:
| Sprint | Duration | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Sprint 1 | 2 weeks | 3 new pizzas tested with customers |
| Sprint 2 | 2 weeks | Improvements based on feedback + 2 pastas |
| Sprint 3 | 2 weeks | 3 desserts + digital menu |
At the end of each Sprint:
- Transparency: Everyone sees what was cooked
- Inspection: Review sales and customer feedback
- Adaptation: Adjust the next Sprint with real data
When to use Scrum
✅ Ideal for:
- Projects with changing or uncertain requirements
- Teams of 10 people or less
- Products that need early feedback
- Complex problems without clear solutions
❌ Not ideal for:
- Projects with 100% fixed and known requirements
- Individual work without collaboration
- Predictable routine maintenance
- When there’s no access to customer/user
Official Certifications
If you want to go deeper, Scrum.org offers recognized certifications:
- PSM I, II, III - Professional Scrum Master
- PSPO I, II, III - Professional Scrum Product Owner
- PSD I - Professional Scrum Developer
Related terms
- [[Sprint]] - Fixed work period (1-4 weeks)
- [[Daily Standup]] - Daily sync meeting (Daily Scrum)
- [[Product Backlog]] - Prioritized list of pending work
- [[Agile]] - General philosophy of iterative development
Official Sources: