Scrum - an innovative way to manage projects

As a rule, when developing programs, the so-called cascade model is used. At the beginning of the process, employees are identified with a list of cases.

After that, it takes a lot of time to draw up a plan with a description of specific tasks and deadlines. Simultaneously, the process is depicted on paper in the form of colored Gantt charts, which are promptly reported to the management.
Magnificent kind of schedules and schemes bribes chiefs, and they do not interfere with the project. In fact, these drawings are far from reality, as the situation on the market is constantly changing, there are unexpected mistakes and problems. Often clients do not receive the expected result or even the whole order.
The innovative way is to not need a one-time development of the whole project. The methodology is flexible and increases the productivity of employees by 400%. Terms of the order are reduced several times.

Origin of the name Scrum

An unusual name is borrowed from rugby. The term describes a separate kind of game, when each participant performs strictly defined actions, knowing that everyone else does exactly what is needed. Confidence in each other allows you to send the ball, almost without looking at the field. Players know that it will be caught by the participant to whom it is intended.

Components of the methodology

1. Sprint.

So Sutherland nicknamed the small steps that make up the project. Each sprint in time should be equal to the previous one. The unit of measurement is most often a week. Each sprint is accompanied by a specific set of tasks, which are determined by the team. The result of any sprint is shown to the client for adjustment or approval.

2. Clear tasks.

The scrum technique involves setting specific tasks that are depicted on the stickers. On the walls of the adherents of this technique, you can often see colored strips of paper. Any of them contains a certain problem, for the solution of which you need to perform one particular action. After completing the task, the sticker goes to the field marked "done." If the paper strip is delayed on the first board, other employees are involved in solving the problem. The path to success - specific tasks.

Once Sutherland was invited to one of the companies that crashed. An important project could remain just a plan, indicated on paper. The team claimed that it would take years to realize the idea. The consultant did not get confused and assembled the team in the meeting room, where he instructed the staff to find and cut out specific tasks from thousands of pages of the developed project documentation. The result of the work is the walls pasted with pieces of paper and a clear understanding of what needs to be done.

3. The volume of tasks in a certain period of time.

The number of tasks that can be easily performed by employees is calculated by the observation method. Correct actions lead to an increase in volume in each sprint. As a rule, the first stage of work on the project shows the number of tasks that the team is able to perform. If you did not manage to fulfill all your plans, the next sprint is determined by fewer tasks. This is how the unusual effect of the technique is achieved, which consists in increasing the productivity of labor and increasing the speed of work from sprint to sprint.

4. Daily minute meetings.

To achieve success, information must be exchanged. Typically, this is spent no more than a quarter of an hour. The representative of the team has to answer questions about yesterday's activities, the list of cases for today and obstacles to the successful outcome. These answers will inform others about the real state of affairs, the order of the tasks and possible problems. Such information is open to all comers. The method allows to avoid standard reports and clarify the work of all team members.

5. History

The task of the project is to achieve a result that will be useful to a certain person. Therefore, when performing the current tasks, you need to represent yourself at the client's site.

6. Meetings that complete the sprint

Completing a certain section, the staff gather together to discuss the subtotals. In this discussion, every member of the team must take part. All processes are dealt with in the smallest detail.
Carefully studied proposals for improving the project, which are being implemented in the next sprint.
Such a process must be monitored, otherwise the discussion can turn into a search for the guilty and the presentation of mutual charges.

7. Continuous improvement

When everything goes according to plan, it's easy to give in to the illusion of maximum approach to success. Such moments are the most dangerous, since lead to a general relaxation of the team and a sharp decline in efficiency.
Any processes must be improved. Each joint meeting must be completed by developing measures for the effective and rapid achievement of the goal.