Agile Frameworks - Scrum: Difference between revisions
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===The 3 Scrum Roles (Accountabilities)=== | ===The 3 Scrum Roles (Accountabilities)=== | ||
====1. Product Owner==== | ====1. Product Owner==== | ||
=====Accountability: product value===== | |||
=====Characteristics:===== | |||
* Represents the external (to the project) stakeholders | * Represents the external (to the project) stakeholders | ||
* Owns the <b>Product Backlog</b> and is responsible for: | * Owns the <b>Product Backlog</b> and is responsible for: | ||
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* Must have authority to make product decisions | * Must have authority to make product decisions | ||
* Should be a single person accountable for maximising product value, not a committee | * Should be a single person accountable for maximising product value, not a committee | ||
====2. Scrum Master==== | ====2. Scrum Master==== | ||
Revision as of 02:55, 11 May 2026
About The Author & The Article
Jonathan Bishop, Group Chairman, Bishop Phillips Consulting. [1]
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Definition
Scrum is a lightweight project management framework in the Agile philosophical epoch that aims to create 'adaptive solutions to complex problems'. It asserts that knowledge and hence value comes from shared experience (which requires transparency) and making decisions on what is observed while minimising waste and focussing on essentials. Minimising waste flows, in part, from discovering missteps as early as possible in the process (transparency again). Complexity is broken down into incremental steps (realised in 'sprints') that are time constrained (to force them to be small and keep investment low before course change is required). Ideally task steps should represent an evaluable endpoint - like a screen mock-up (perhaps without functionality) so ideas and endpoints can be incrementally refined. It adopts a project organisation structure that aims to realise these concepts within the structure itself as well as the product design.
The Key Components of Scrum
Scrum has three roles, five events, and three artifacts (with respective commitments) — a structure confirmed consistently across authoritative sources. These components form the entire Scrum framework; nothing more is defined in the Scrum Guide[2][3].
In the Scrum model a project is broken down into a partially ordered set of tasks, which may have sequential dependencies and priorities as defined by the product owner. These tasks start life in the 'product backlog' from which they are drawn into sprints via the 'sprint backlog' for implementation and ultimately residing in the 'increment' when they reach the 'definition of done'.
Scrum consists of:
- 3 Roles
- Product Owner,
- Scrum Master,
- Developers
- 5 Events
- Sprint,
- Sprint Planning,
- Daily Scrum,
- Sprint Review,
- Sprint Retrospective
- 3 Artifacts
- Product Backlog,
- Sprint Backlog,
- Increment
- 3 Commitments tied to the artifacts
- Product Goal,
- Sprint Goal,
- Definition of Done
These elements enable transparency, inspection, and adaptation — the pillars of Scrum.
The 3 Scrum Roles (Accountabilities)
1. Product Owner
Accountability: product value
Characteristics:
- Represents the external (to the project) stakeholders
- Owns the Product Backlog and is responsible for:
- Defining and communicating the Product Goal (the value outcome rather than just a deliverable)
- The definition of the product that achieves that goal
- Defining and communicating the measurement and definition of product value to the team
- Prioritizing and refining tasks in the backlog based on value, strategy and sequential dependence
- Must have authority to make product decisions
- Should be a single person accountable for maximising product value, not a committee
2. Scrum Master
- Ensures Scrum is understood and enacted
- Coaches the team and organization
- Removes impediments
- Facilitates Scrum events
[Agilemania](https://agilemania.com/tutorial/essential-elements-of-scrum)
3. Developers
- Build the Increment each Sprint
- Plan the Sprint Backlog
- Ensure work meets the **Definition of Done**
[Agilemania](https://agilemania.com/tutorial/essential-elements-of-scrum)
The 5 Scrum Events
1. The Sprint (the container event)
- Fixed timebox: **1 month or less**
- Contains all other events
- Produces a **usable Increment**
[teachingagile.com](https://teachingagile.com/scrum/psm-1/scrum-framework)
2. Sprint Planning
- Defines the **Sprint Goal**
- Selects Product Backlog items for the Sprint
- Creates the Sprint Backlog plan
[Agilemania](https://agilemania.com/tutorial/essential-elements-of-scrum)
3. Daily Scrum
- 15‑minute daily inspection of progress
- Developers adjust the plan toward the Sprint Goal
[Agilemania](https://agilemania.com/tutorial/essential-elements-of-scrum)
4. Sprint Review
- Inspect the Increment with stakeholders
- Adapt the Product Backlog based on feedback
[Agilemania](https://agilemania.com/tutorial/essential-elements-of-scrum)
5. Sprint Retrospective
- Inspect team processes, tools, and collaboration
- Identify improvements for the next Sprint
[Agilemania](https://agilemania.com/tutorial/essential-elements-of-scrum)
The 3 Scrum Artifacts (with Commitments)
1. Product Backlog
- Ordered list of everything needed for the product
- Continuously refined
- **Commitment:** *Product Goal*
[teachingagile.com](https://teachingagile.com/scrum/psm-1/scrum-framework)
2. Sprint Backlog
- Selected Product Backlog items for the Sprint
- Plan for delivering the Increment
- **Commitment:** *Sprint Goal*
[teachingagile.com](https://teachingagile.com/scrum/psm-1/scrum-framework)
3. Increment
- The sum of all completed work
- Must be usable and meet the **Definition of Done**
- **Commitment:** *Definition of Done*
[teachingagile.com](https://teachingagile.com/scrum/psm-1/scrum-framework)
Why these components matter
Scrum is intentionally minimal. The combination of:
- **roles** (clear accountability)
- **events** (regular inspection/adaptation)
- **artifacts** (transparency of work)
creates an empirical system that allows teams to navigate complexity and deliver value iteratively. [deckary.com](https://deckary.com/blog/scrum-framework-guide)
