- Agile and scrum are two similar project management systems with a few key differences.
- Agile is more flexible and promotes leadership teams, while scrum is more rigid and promotes cross-functional teams.
- Agile lets teams develop projects in small increments called “sprints” and allows for more effective collaborations among teams working on complex projects.
- This article is for business owners and project managers who want to learn more about agile scrum methodology and how to implement it as a management process.
Agile scrum methodology is used by companies of all sizes for its ability to provide high-end collaboration and efficiency for project-based work. Agile and scrum are two different methods and can be used separately; however, their combined benefits make the agile scrum methodology the most popular use of agile. Here’s the complete guide to agile scrum methodology.
Did you know? Agile and scrum can be used separately, but their combined benefits make the methodology popular.
How does agile scrum work?
Agile scrum methodology is the combination of the agile philosophy and the scrum framework. Agile means “incremental, allowing teams to develop projects in small increments. Scrum is one of the many types of agile methodology, known for breaking projects down into sizable chunks called “sprints.” Agile scrum methodology is good for businesses that need to finish specific projects quickly.
Agile scrum methodology is a project management system that relies on incremental development. Each iteration consists of two- to four-week sprints, where the goal of each sprint is to build the most important features first and come out with a potentially deliverable product. More features are built into the product in subsequent sprints and are adjusted based on stakeholder and customer feedback between sprints.
Whereas other project management methods emphasize building an entire product in one operation from start to finish, agile scrum methodology focuses on delivering several iterations of a product to provide stakeholders with the highest business value in the least amount of time.
Agile scrum methodology has several benefits. First, it encourages products to be built faster, since each set of goals must be completed within each sprint’s time frame. It also requires frequent planning and goal setting, which helps the scrum team focus on the current sprint’s objectives and increase productivity.
What is agile?
Agile is a process that allows a team to more efficiently manage a project by breaking it down into several stages, each of which allows for consistent collaboration with stakeholders to promote steady improvements at every stage.
Key takeaway: Agile lets a team manage a project more efficiently by breaking it down into several stages.
What are the values of agile?
Agile was first described in the Agile Manifesto in 2000 by a group of developers who sought out a new method of writing software. The manifesto cites four values:
- Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
- Working software over comprehensive documentation
- Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
- Responding to change over following a plan
What are the 12 principles of agile?
The Agile Manifesto also enacted 12 principles in reference to software development and was later reconfigured to fit a wider perspective of users:
- Customer satisfaction
- Early and continuous delivery
- Embrace change
- Frequent delivery
- Collaboration of businesses and developers
- Motivated individuals
- Face-to-face conversation
- Functional products
- Technical excellence
- Simplicity
- Self-organized teams
- Regulation, reflection and adjustment
What is scrum?
In short, scrum is a framework for effective collaborations among teams working on complex products. Scrum is a type of agile technology that consists of meetings, roles, and tools to help teams working on complex projects collaborate and better structure and manage their workload. Although it is most often used by software development teams, scrum can be beneficial to any team working toward a common goal.
Who can benefit from scrum?
While scrum can be useful for a wide variety of businesses and projects, these are the most likely beneficiaries:
- Complicated projects: Scrum methodology is ideal for projects that require teams to complete a backlog. Scrum breaks down each process into bite-sized chunks that can make a complex project easier.
- Companies that value results: Scrum is also beneficial to companies that value results over the documented progress of the process. This is because scrum is focused on efficiency and innovation to drive results, rather than a detailed, rigid process.
- Companies that cater to customers: Scrum can help companies that develop products in accordance with customer preferences and specifications. Scrum is adaptable to change, making it key when responding to customer requests.
What are the benefits of agile scrum methodology?
These are some of the collective benefits of agile scrum methodology:
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Creativity and innovation
- Lower costs
- Quality improvement
- Organizational synergy
- Employee satisfaction
- Customer satisfaction
The greatest benefit of agile scrum methodology is its flexibility. With the sprint-based model, the scrum team typically receives feedback from stakeholders after each sprint. If there are any problems or changes, the scrum team can easily and quickly adjust product goals during future sprints to provide more valuable iterations. This way, stakeholders are happier because they get exactly what they want after being involved every step of the way.
Compare this with traditional project management systems, in which stakeholders do not provide frequent feedback and time is wasted making changes to the product halfway through development – or worse, such as the teams needing to start from scratch after the product has already been built.
To implement agile scrum methodology, there must be either a scrum expert in the company or an outside consultant to ensure scrum principles are being applied correctly. Agile scrum methodology involves precise execution and could result in serious problems if not done properly.
Tip: To implement agile scrum, you’ll need an expert in your company or an outside consultant.
What are the different roles in agile scrum methodology?
Agile scrum methodology consists of two sets of roles: core roles, known as “pigs,” and ancillary roles, known as “chickens.”
There are three core roles: scrum master, product owner and scrum team. All of these people are committed to the scrum project.
- Scrum master: The scrum master is the facilitator of the scrum development process. In addition to holding daily meetings with the scrum team, the scrum master makes certain that scrum rules are being enforced and applied as intended. The scrum master’s responsibilities also include coaching and motivating the team, removing impediments to sprints, and ensuring that the team has the best possible conditions to meet its goals and produce deliverable products.
- Product owner: The product owner represents stakeholders, who are typically customers. To ensure the scrum team is always delivering value to stakeholders and the business, the product owner determines product expectations, records changes to the product and administers a scrum backlog, a detailed and constantly updated to-do list for the scrum project. The product owner is also responsible for prioritizing goals for each sprint, based on their value to stakeholders, such that the most important and deliverable features are built in each iteration.
- Scrum team: The scrum team is a self-organized group of three to nine individuals who have the business, design, analytical and development skills to carry out the real work, solve problems and produce deliverable products. Members of the scrum team self-administer tasks and are jointly responsible for meeting each sprint’s goals.
Ancillary roles, on the other hand, are other stakeholders who are involved in, but not committed to, the scrum project. Typically, ancillary roles consist of customers, management and members of the executive team who are involved for the purpose of consulting, reporting progress and gathering feedback to better work toward delivering the highest value possible.
What is the training for scrum and agile?
Managers and employees can enroll in training for both agile and scrum through various online and in-person courses. Many educational training courses result in certification in agile or scrum methodologies. Agile training provides the trainee with the basic knowledge of agile and how to implement it to the rest of their team. Scrum provides similar training, including the basic agile overview; however, the training caters to the scrum framework.
To become a certified scrum master (CSM) or certified scrum product owner (CSPO), you must first prepare and learn the basic details of scrum through videos or a simple internet search. Next, find a suitable CSM or CSPO course, either through your workplace or another internet search. Once you’ve completed the course, you usually have to pass an test to become certified. After certification, you’re able to lead your team through the scrum process or provide scrum product details.
What are the differences between scrum and agile?
Although scrum and agile are similar, they have some key differences:
- Scrum values rigidity, whereas agile is more flexible.
- Agile leaders play a vital role, while scrum promotes a cross-functional team that is self-functioning.
- Agile involves face-to-face interactions between cross-functional team members, while scrum involves daily stand-up meetings.
- Agile is meant to be kept simple, while scrum can be innovative and experimental.
- Scrum delivers shorter, separate projects, while agile delivers everything at the end of the process.
Sara Angeles contributed to the writing and research in this article.
This season, the Philadelphia Eagles unleashed the "Tush Push" play, where a quarterback gets an extra shove or pull from teammates during a sneak. When executed correctly, it's almost indefensible.
So, naturally, the NFL might eliminate it.
Dean Blandino, former NFL vice president of officiating, told the 33rdteam.com's Paul Domowitch that he'd be shocked if a change doesn't come when the NFL's competition committee meets in two weeks.
"It amounts to a rugby scrum," Blandino said. "The NFL wants to showcase the athleticism and skill of our athletes. This is just not a skillful play. This is just a tactic that is not an aesthetically pleasing play, and I think the competition committee is going to take a look at it."
According to Adam Levitan of Establish the Run, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts scored 10 of his 18 rushing touchdowns on the year from inside the 2-yard line, proving the "Tush Push" plays' success rate. While the tactic is legally in a grey area, speculation has only grown over whether or not the league should discuss banning it altogether.
Recently, NFL Hall of Famer and ESPN analyst Steve Young said the NFL was going to look into making banning the play. And, ahead of Super Bowl LVII, Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Bowler Cam Heyward noted on his podcast Not Just Football that he was "triggered" by the Eagles' sneaks while advocating for its removal.
"I'm always pissed off in these fourth downs because it's always so skewed to the offense," Heyward said. "I'm just confused why they switched the rule. It used to be a penalty to push your guy forward. Nobody really noticed until the Eagles were like, oh, this is unstoppable."
Frankly, the outcry against the Eagles' strategy sounds like sour grapes. Usually, in the NFL, being unable to stop a particular offensive scheme isn't reason enough to make it illegal. With that said, if NFL ultimately chooses to eliminate the play for the 2023 season, the Eagles will have to go back to the drawing board to find a different strategy on short-yardage scenarios, which was their bread and butter throughout the run to the Super Bowl.
England's forwards coach Richard Cockerill says the team has sought advice from referees on their “reckless” scrum.
Steve Borthwick's side looked to officials as after discovering they won just 85 per cent of their own scrums last year, which was the worst of any tier one nation.
Cockerill said feedback from leading referees, including Wayne Barnes, suggested their scrum was “ill-disciplined and a bit reckless”.
“We’ve taken lots of input from the officials because that has not been as good a relationship as we would have liked and we have worked on fixing it,” he said.
“The boys have worked hard. We have got a good pack of forwards, we have got some good personnel, and it is just keeping them honest and working them harder than we probably did previously.”
England, who are sixth in the world rankings, have won all 11 of own their scrums so far this Six Nations but not everything has been positive for the team.
They lost to Scotland in round one and, despite beating Italy in the second round, are facing criticism for their attacking play.
Wales are next in the tournament for England if the game goes ahead. The fixture have been put in doubt amid reports Wales players could threaten to strike due to ongoing contract disputes with the Wales Rugby Union.
If the game goes ahead as planned, Cockerill expects the Welsh team to come out fighting.
“I think if anything it will probably galvanise them because they have their issues,” Cockerill said.
“I don’t really understand what the politics of it is, but from my experience, any hardship with a playing group generally brings them tighter together.
Coinciding with Sean Payton’s first year as the head coach of the Saints, the NFL changed the rules to allow a runner to be pushed by a teammate. As Payton commences his first year as head coach of the Broncos, some teams finally have embraced the rule as a device for strategic advantage.
Payton, who finished his one-year stint with Fox during Super Bowl LVII, told Fox rules analyst Dean Blandino that Payton will make regular use of the ability to shove a runner from behind, until the rule is changed.
“I think the league is going to look at this, and I’d be shocked if they don’t make a change,’’ Blandino said in an item posted on The33rdTeam.com.
“I was talking to Sean Payton during Sunday’s game, and he said we’re going to do this every time next season if they don’t take it out,’’ Blandino added. “It amounts to a rugby scrum. The NFL wants to showcase the athleticism and skill of our athletes. This is just not a skillful play. This is just a tactic that is not an aesthetically pleasing play, and I think the Competition Committee is going to take a look at it.’’
Previously, pushing the runner happened spontaneously, in the open field. It’s not part of play design, with the Eagles perfecting the tactic. It was rarely called.
And so the rule might go back to what it was in 2005 and previously. The best compromise could be to outline pushing a runner only while inside the tackle box. Presumably, no one would be able to design a play that incorporates deliberate shoving outside the tackles.
Surely, however, someone would try.
Cape Town - It seemed to be a mismatch of epic proportions – an all-Springbok Stormers front row were expected to dominate the Bulls in the scrums.
Steven Kitshoff, Joseph Dweba and Frans Malherbe would have been licking their lips to take on Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar and Mornay Smith at Cape Town Stadium on December 23.
But while the Stormers won 37-27, there was no doubt that the Bulls had the edge in the set-piece.
The Bulls won a few penalties in the first half, but yellow cards to Marco van Staden and Elrigh Louw blunted their physicality, and despite being 13-13 at half-time, they conceded three early second-half tries.
The Pretoria side will be charged up to fix those mistakes in Saturday’s return URC clash at Loftus Versfeld (5.05pm kick-off), and would have been encouraged by their scrum performance in the hope of ending a four-match losing streak to John Dobson’s outfit.
The return of coach Jake White after an operation will no doubt galvanise the Bulls further.
And this time around, the Stormers won’t have Kitshoff, Malherbe or lock Marvin Orie, who are unavailable due to Springbok resting protocols.
They would have been heartened by a fine display against the Sharks in Durban on February 4 when Dweba, Brok Harris and Neethling Fouché overwhelmed Ntuthuko Mchunu, Kerron van Vuuren and Carlu Sadie to set up a 46-19 triumph.
Dweba will be the favourite to wear the No 2 jersey at Loftus, but the man who could play a crucial role in the second half is Scarra Ntubeni as the back-up hooker.
The biggest test for the Capetonians will be dealing with the altitude, and while rain has been forecast, they will need to be sharp and not concede penalties in the last 20 minutes in order to deny the Bulls extra momentum.
Ntubeni made his comeback after 10 months out with an Achilles injury in the 35-5 loss to Ulster in late January, where he had to replace the injured JJ Kotze in the third minute.
The one-cap Springbok lasted about 44 minutes before making way for André-Hugo Venter, and wants to continue making progress against the Bulls.
“When you play the Bulls, you don’t need much motivation, it’s always massive,” Ntubeni said in an interview on the Stormers website.
“I’m excited with a bit of nerves, because it’s been a while for me. But once the whistle goes, I’ll be fine – I just need to make that first hit and first carry. I just feel fortunate to get another opportunity to get back on the park.
ALSO READ: ‘Loftus vibe’ can assist Bulls evade the Stormers tide
“I wasn’t expecting to come on that early against Ulster, but luckily we had Vennas (Venter) on the bench.
“I needed to be thrown into the deep end, because the lungs were going to struggle anyway, so I thought I might as well just do it. It was pretty awesome to be back on the field.
ALSO READ: We’d like to keep Aphelele Fassi, says Sharks’ Neil Powell as Stormers circle
“For me, at the moment, it’s about getting back into the team because I’ve been out for about 10 months. I really want to get back to my form where I was playing last season.”
Ntubeni will turn 32 tomorrow, and while he is facing a serious battle against Dweba, Kotze and Venter for game-time, he is still eager to make his mark for the Stormers.
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England’s coaches have sought advice from some of the world’s leading referees, including Wayne Barnes and Joël Jutge, to rectify their “reckless” scrum.
Last year the English pack retained the ball from just 85% of its own scrums – the worst of any tier one nation – and Steve Borthwick and his team are taking all the help they can get.
“We’ve taken lots of input from the officials because that has not been as good a relationship as we would have liked and we have worked on fixing it,” said the forwards coach, Richard Cockerill, who will leave his post after the Six Nations to join Montpellier in the French Top 14.
“The boys have worked hard. We have got a good pack of forwards, we have got some good personnel, and it is just keeping them honest and working them harder than we probably did previously.”
Cockerill suggested that England’s problems were as much tactical as they were technical. The feedback received has been that the scrum was “ill-disciplined and a bit reckless”.
But it is not just the scrum that needed redress. England were ranked ninth for lineout steals and 10th for their speed at the ruck last year, and the team now occupy sixth place in World Rugby’s rankings.
“You should take [those numbers] personally because that’s part of our identity as a team,” Cockerill said. “Some of the players were surprised by the stats. As coaches, we’ve got to coach that better.”
There have been signs of improvement, with England winning all 11 of their scrums so far this tournament against Scotland and Italy while procuring five penalties in the process. Wales, however, will pose a unique challenge in Cardiff on Saturday week.
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Cockerill believes Warren Gatland’s team will be “galvanised” after a pay dispute that may lead to a player strike. If the game goes ahead, England’s departing forwards coach will likewise expect a display of cohesion from his pack.
“England have always found it difficult in Cardiff,” Cockerill said, alluding to a run of three consecutive defeats at the Millennium Stadium. “What Wales are doing with their players is not really our concern.”
Ireland scrum half Kathryn Dane has revealed she suffered a brain haemorrhage during a accurate training session.
he 26-year-old from Enniskillen, who recently agreed to take up a central contract with Ulster and the IRFU, took to Twitter to thank the IRFU who were “close at hand to respond immediately” and got her the help she needed.
Dane has been a mainstay in the Irish team since coming off the bench to win her maiden cap in a 51-7 defeat to England during the 2019 Six Nations.
She also works as a physiotherapist in Dublin.
"Three months ago I suffered a brain haemorrhage at Ireland training,” wrote Dane.
"Luckily the IRFU medical team were close at hand to respond immediately and get me the care I needed. Thank you to the IRFU, Connolly and Beaumont Hospitals, Rugby Players Ireland and my family and friends for the love and support. I hope to make a full recovery and return to work and rugby, but it will take some time. For now I will be Ireland’s biggest fan.”
Dane was working out in the IRFU High Performance Gym at Abbotstown early one November morning last year when she became suddenly ill.
The men's international medical team were on site and tended to her immediately, before she was taken to hospital.
She is on indefinite leave from the IRFU as she recovers at home and is not expected to be able to play for some time.
Ireland scrum-half Kathryn Dane has revealed she suffered a brain haemorrhage at training before Christmas.
Dane, 26, has won 23 Ireland caps since making her debut in 2019 and plays for Ulster and Old Belvedere.
"Three months ago I suffered a brain haemorrhage at Ireland training," Dane posted on social media.
"I hope to make a full recovery and return to work and rugby, but it will take some time."
Dane settled on rugby despite being a talented hockey and football player as a teenager, representing Northern Ireland at under-age levels.
After impressing for Ulster and Old Belvedere, she was handed a call-up for the 2019 Six Nations and was handed the starting jersey a few weeks after making her debut off the bench against England.
The Fermanagh player has been a mainstay in the Irish team and also works as a physiotherapist in Dublin.
"Luckily the IRFU medical team were close at hand to respond immediately and get me the care I needed," Dane added.
"Thank you to the IRFU, Connolly and Beaumont Hospitals, Rugby Players Ireland and my family and friends for the love and support.
"For now I will be Ireland's biggest fan."
Ireland scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park has been ruled out of Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations showdown with France.
Gibson-Park withdrew just a few hours before Ireland’s 34-10 win over Wales on Saturday with a hamstring injury.
Conor Murray deputised for Gibson-Park in Cardiff, and the Leinster player has failed to recover in time ahead of title holders France’s trip to Dublin to take on the world’s number one ranked team.
Prop Cian Healy, who was a late withdrawal from the Ireland bench against Wales, and fellow front-row forward Tadhg Furlong remain sidelined by injury.
“Jamison Gibson-Park and Cian Healy, who were both late withdrawals from the Wales game due to hamstring injuries, have been ruled out of contention for the France game,” said an Ireland Rugby Football Union statement.
“Tadhg Furlong, who is rehabbing a calf issue, is also not being considered for selection this week.
“Gibson-Park, Healy and Furlong will continue their rehab programmes with the Ireland medical team.”
Captain and outside-half Johnny Sexton, who suffered a dead leg in Cardiff, was also due to complete the HIA process on Monday.
Leinster hooker Ronan Kelleher is due to return to training this week.
Connacht scrum-half Caolin Blade and Leinster loosehead prop Michael Milne have been called up and joined the rest of the Ireland squad at the IRFU High Performance Centre in Dublin.
Blade was capped against the United States in July 2021, while the uncapped Milne has been part of the Emerging Ireland squad.
