First things come differently, and second, not as expected: Complex projects are difficult to plan from start to finish. The only constant in a large project is the continuous change of the product and working conditions. To maintain an overview and remain capable of action even in this apparent chaos, Agile Project Management methods have proven effective. These are based on continuous feedback loops that serve to review current circumstances and enable timely responses to changes and problems in the development process. The most popular method is Scrum.
At the beginning of a Scrum-driven process is the product vision: What should be achieved at the end of the project? The corresponding requirements for the project are recorded in the Product Backlog. Based on this, the actual product development begins in sprints: work phases between one and four weeks, at the end of which the current project status is presented.
Who Does What in Scrum: Role Distribution
The Scrum Master is the guardian of the process, coaches the team, and moderates the events. They ensure that the team can work effectively (framework conditions).
The Product Owner knows what requirements are placed on the product and how it will be used after project completion. They know the product vision and create and prioritize the Product Backlog.
The diligent tinkerers and developers form the Team. Together they implement the requirements from the Backlog.
Four to Win: The Feedback Loops
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Sprint Planning
- Duration: 8 hours
- When? At the beginning of a sprint
- What? Product Owner presents the Backlog. Requirements are broken down into tasks
- Result: Sprint Backlog (work plan)
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Daily SCRUM
- Duration: 15 minutes
- When? Daily
- What? Team discusses current status
- Result: Everyone is up-to-date
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Sprint Review
- Duration: 4 hours, depending on the result
- When? At the end of a sprint
- What? Team shows what it has achieved in the sprint
- Result: Intermediate result
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Sprint Retrospective
- Duration: 3 hours
- When? After the sprint
- What? Discussion of the sprint: What went well/poorly? Improvement suggestions
- Result: Suggestions for the next sprint
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SCRUM – What’s the point? Let Alexander Schaaf and Jacob Methner explain it to you.
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The Checklist for Scrum Masters
- Instructions are out. Developers know what needs to be done. The role of Scrum Masters is to support them in self-organization with ideas, actions, and guidance. The team decides.
- Experiments instead of agitation. Changes trigger resistance and fears in some people. If a change forced with grand speeches proves not to be sensible, a fundamental skepticism against everything new becomes entrenched. Therefore, it is better to present helpful agile methods as experiments that can also fail.
- Avoid disruptions. The role of a Scrum Master is not only to keep the team free from external distractions, but also to ensure disruption-free work phases within the team. Discuss this with your team.
- Gentle persuasion instead of force. If a team member has difficulty accepting changes, give that person space and time. Here too, it is important to present options and repeatedly emphasize the benefits of certain rules and methods.
- Create retreat spaces. The team should work in a room where no disruptive elements are present. In many companies, it is not always possible to set up a separate team room. Alternatively, you can create functional retreat spaces for meetings, phone calls, and break times.
- People. Not resources. Always remember that you are working with people and not with machines. They are people with individual feelings, needs, and dreams.
- Focus on progress instead of status reports. The Daily Scrum is for discussing the tasks and progress of the team. It is not about individual team members.
At a Glance
- What is the Scrum method? A method of Agile Project Management that enables flexible responses to changes in the project. Regular feedback loops form the foundation.
- For which projects is Scrum suitable? Especially for large projects whose course cannot be planned from start to finish, Scrum is a method that keeps all participants flexible and prevents them from falling into paralysis when unplanned changes occur.
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