What is SCRUM?

Scrum is an agile software development model based on multiple small teams working in an intensive and interdependent manner. The term is named for the scrum (or scrummage) formation in rugby, which is used to restart the game after an event that causes play to stop, such as an infringement.

Scrum employs real-time decision-making processes based on actual events and information. This requires well-trained and specialized teams capable of self-management, communication and decision-making. The teams in the organization work together while constantly focusing on their common interests.

A key principle of Scrum is its recognition that during a project the customers can change their minds about what they want and need (often called requirements churn), and that unpredicted challenges cannot be easily addressed in a traditional predictive or planned manner. As such, Scrum adopts an empirical approach—accepting that the problem cannot be fully understood or defined, focusing instead on maximizing the team’s ability to deliver quickly and respond to emerging requirements.

Scrum involves:

• Initial appointment of a project manager called the “scrum master.”
• Definition and prioritization of tasks to be done.
• Planning sessions for each task.
• Daily “stand up” meetings among teams usually lasting no more than 15 minutes.
• Identification and evaluation of potential project risks and process pitfalls.
• Execution of projects in brief, high-intensity, frequent work sessions.
• Reviews of progress and evaluations of completed projects.
• Openness to constructive criticism and ideas for improvement.