I’ve signed up for a SCRUM course. Yeah – I want to learn more about it…
Now – I actually like the whole idea of SCRUM, and the iterative approach. It’s really not possible to get users to define all their requirements at the beginning of a project.
In the cases of new technology, users don’t know what they want until they see it, so asking them for their “clearly defined” requirements at the beginning means a world of pain once you get further done the line.
So, it was with a lot of enthusiasm that I sat down and watched the training videos.
While I still agree with the principle of SCRUM, the “names” given to “normal” things, made me smile.
In fact, it made me think of me think of Jordan Bortz’s excellent post “Howto: Create and Promote a new (but popular) Agile Methodology“. In this he takes a slightly irreverent look at this methodology.
Also, Software Maestro hit the nail on the head with this one – “SCRUM Master Jar Jar“
Other useful links
- Glossary of SCRUM Terms
- my other SCRUM posts.
Hi
Thanks for the mention. That Jar Jar post was pretty entertaining as well…how did you find that?
In terms of users don’t know what they want til they see it — that is true — which is why I believe in prototyping, storyboarding, mockups etc.
In Scrum/Agile they think that all of this “prototyping” should be unit tested and potentially shippable code…. In other words, change things while in production, before shaking out change with prototyping.
Yet one more thing that I disagree with about that process and is in my queue to blog about…
Best,
Jordan
Jordan
Hi Jordan
Thanks for commenting. (Always great to get feedback).
I’m relatively new to Agile and SCRUM (having been raised on a steady diet of PRINCE2, with copious amounts of water(fall). The waterfall method seemed to have drawbacks when it comes to smaller projects, and that’s why SCRUM appealed to me. I’ve got a two day course next week so I’m keen to learn more. However…the more I see the more I think about your post…(still, I’m trying to see over the “rituals”).
Actually another reader made a comment on one of my other posts, that there is a movement at the moment to replace SCRUM with Kanban, so I’m want to look into that. But, today, I cam across this “cartoon” about the problems that even Kanban can have. (Still makes me think of your post though).
Cheers
– Mark
Well Kanban is the next agile fad, but I don’t think it’s any more relevant than Scrum. That is why my Howto is really a send up of both, and future, fad methodologies.
I also have a post on my site http://jordanbortz.wordpress.com/2011/08/08/is-the-agile-community-still-uncovering-better-ways-of-developing-software-or-just-debating-whether-to-implement-scrum-or-kanban/ which is pretty appropriate and interesting reading.
Jordan
You’re right. That post gives a good analysis of the two. I like it.