Uses of Scrum

documentation is no longer required. It means that working software is crucial, and the main focus should go towards creating software that works for the end-user. The Agile Manifesto also expresses that ongoing customer collaboration is more important than the initial contract negotiation. The Agile philosophy is about collaborating and giving more value to the customer, not just leaving them behind once a contract is in place.

The last item, but no less important, is that responding to changes has more priority than does following a plan. As you know, Waterfall projects follow a plan and do not handle changes well. The Agile framework is more about responding to changes by inspecting and adapting.

USES OF SCRUM

Welcome to the section on the uses of scrum! Here I will explain how Scrum can be used and what kinds of projects are ideal for this framework. Scrum was initially created for software. However, since the early nineties, Scrum has been used extensively for different types of projects: for research, to develop new products and enhancements, and to release updated versions of products.

Scrum is used in a wide variety of industries, in many organizations, and even in personal projects. Scrum is also used in schools and government agencies.

Scrum works best with small teams that are flexible and can adapt to changing requirements. It is also, however, applicable to projects with thousands of people; they are split up into smaller scrum teams working independently on different parts of the final product.

You have probably asked yourself if the Scrum framework is only applicable to software development. As I mentioned a bit earlier, the answer is no. When I say the word development in this course, or, when you read the word on the exam, it is referring to complex work. Development can involve software, hardware, engineering, and any other industry where an iterative development is required.

In this course, you will hear me say mostly positive things about Scrum. Please remember, though, that Scrum is appropriate for some projects, but not for all

projects. The parameters of a project should determine whether you follow a more traditional workflow or implement the scrum model. I will now present a list of cases where using Scrum is beneficial. You can also find this information summarized in the Follow-along PDF Manual on page sixteen:

1. Projects where the scope of work is not clearly defined.

2. Projects where the product will evolve during the course of the project.

3. Projects where the requirements are expected change frequently.

4. Projects where all required activities cannot be defined at the outset.

5. Projects where estimating is difficult.

6. Projects where the process is iterative, meaning that there will be numerous cycles that depend on previous cycles.

7. Projects where success is about customer satisfaction.

8. Projects where the deliverables in each sprint have value and can be used right away.

The traditional workflow methods might be more beneficial for the following project types. Continue to follow along in the PDF manual:

1. Projects where the scope is clear from the beginning; the product description is available up front and similar projects have been completed before.

2. Projects where the products are not expected to change too much.

3. Projects where estimating is possible right from the beginning of the project.

4. Projects where the work is expected to be to be completed over the long term and can be split into phases.

5. Projects where success can be achieved by reaching project goals for time, cost, and scope.

6. Projects where the end-user can wait for the completion of the project before using it.