Here Are 3 Ways We Use Scrum Processes to Boost Productivity
Published on 28 Apr 2022 inKey Takeaways:
Scrum not only increases productivity through cutting down on time, but it also keeps teams focused on the most critical aspects of the product development cycle.
The scrum process inspects each batch of the product and tests its functionality as they are developed, and then encourages appropriate adjustments to be made based on research and feedback. Which in turn, reduces risks of any issues further down the line.
It provides transparency and clarity of what needs to be done and prioritised. As well as offering guidance to employees responsible for the different aspects of the project.
Scrum helps split up tasks into small parts which a cross-functional team can complete and deliver easier within a limited time.
For businesses to move forward successfully and effectively take on tasks; several elements need to work together to establish business processes and procedures.
The Scrum process – which is also a part of an agile work concept – allows employees to overcome difficulties during tasks more easily, which enables them to focus on the required projects and tasks. We’ll go over the basics of Scrum, how Morphosis uses this process, and how it helps us become a more successful team.
What is scrum?
Scrum is a framework for project management that promotes teamwork, responsibility and iterative development towards a well-defined purpose. Scrum helps teams to learn from their experiences, organise oneself when working on an issue and to focus on their successes and failures so they can constantly improve.
It’s the framework we follow to ensure that plans are in accordance with our goals and priorities. We use these goals as our guide to advance forward and move the company to where we want it. In the Scrum frame, we can split large tasks (or objectives) into smaller stages, thus reviewing and adjusting along the way.
The main benefit of scrum
Scrum helps the team to effectively communicate and collaborate as a team. Communication is crucial to a strong Scrum team, as it reveals how everything works. Collaboration also allows the team to be effective, encouraging team members to carry out the strengths of each other to obtain the greatest outcomes. Iteration is necessary because you do not have all the details you need at the outset of the process, or because you may assume what the client or individual is seeking.
Elements of Scrum
In order to incorporate Scrum, this framework must first be understood. Scrum Elements is a term that explains the essential aspects of the Scrum framework. The elements are as follows:
Sprints:
Sprint is a short, time-boxed amount of time a scrum team operates on a specified workload. In a Sprint, the team needs to finish a scheduled amount of work and prepare it for review.
Stand Up:
This specific meeting takes less than 15 minutes, generally occurs each morning and is a time for everyone involved on a project to discuss what they are doing and what roadblocks are hindering them from getting the product done.
Sprint Backlog:
The Sprint Backlog is the list of tasks that need to be done. It is the product backlog selected for delivery in the Sprint and where the team identifies the tasks necessary to complete each user story and to accomplish the Sprint target.
Planning Meeting:
The Sprint Planning meeting involves the entire team. At this point, the team takes the best requirements from the product backlog and aims to improve as many of them during the upcoming sprint. The team then establishes a backlog for Sprint.
Review:
Sprint Review is the opportunity to review all work we have achieved in the previous Sprint. The purpose of this discussion is to discuss or illustrate the work done and likely provide stakeholders with an opportunity to use the feedback to get increment and foster collaboration.
Retrospective:
The retrospective is where the staff sits down and examine what has gone wrong and what could have gone better. Every sprint ends with a summary in which the team and its Scrum Master and Product Owner discuss how effective the sprint has been as well as all the challenges they all had to face and why.
Roles:
Scrum has three main project roles. The roles are product owner, the team and the Scrum Master. Let’s examine these three roles and how they influence productivity on an individual basis:
The Scrum product owner represents the involved parties and customers. They are responsible for ensuring that the team’s value reflects the needs of the organisation. They are also responsible for product backlog development and management.
Next comes the development team, who work together in a sequence of iterations at small and sustainable events called Sprints. They determine who takes on which tasks tools and techniques for carrying out a project/task.
Lastly, the Scrum master teaches the team to achieve greater levels of self-organisation, teamwork and efficiency. In addition to building a self-organised and high-performance team, a Scrum master also frequently helps keep teams accountable to business goals and eliminate productivity roadblocks.
Advantages of using scrum
Scrum has played a significant role in allowing departments to come together as one cohesive team. It has streamlined our work process so that we can take more on more projects, resolve challenges and complete them more efficiently.
Our Scrum software called Jira tracks and has helped our teams achieve high levels of productivity. The Scrum board tracks all stories on which they are assigned to and helps us to equate one sprint to the next, which also visually charts out our success. It gives us a clear vision as to where we are right now and what we have to do moving forward.
So, to boost that productivity, here are three principles to be practised by each team member:
1. Transparency
Transparency is the first pillar of Scrum. When referring to procedures, everyone in your company will use the same language.
Scrum transparency can be achieved by scrum tools such as product backlogs, task boards, sprint reviews, retrospectives, daily stand-ups, and burndown charts etc. Which means everyone knows their roles and responsibilities distinctly for ongoing tasks. These are used by a cross-functional team to pass the operating flow.
2. Inspection
The second pillar is inspection, which ensures that each team member regularly checks their work and completes the increase. Frequent checks embedded into the system can help the team learn about how the process works.
This approach of continuous review encourages the detection of differences or errors which may harm the quality of the increment.
3. Adaptation
When problems arise, reflections can be made to improve the team’s understanding towards the tasks given. Efficiency can then be further maximised with certain outcomes being avoided.
Adaptation means that we can adapt to what works better and what doesn’t. It means that even when we fail, we still conduct little experiments and keep what works and keep going.
We use our inspection results to determine which experiment to conduct next, for example:
Scrum‘s team addresses problems and possibilities of change collectively during the Sprint Retrospective. The team will then develop and adapt a new strategy to create additional value.
Scrum = Productivity
Scrum has helped us achieve high-quality work more efficiently. It promotes cohesiveness between our various departments and allows us to identify problems that can potentially have a negative impact on our operations. It enables quality development.
As its fundamental goal is to enhance productivity, Scrum focuses on the theory of quality improvement. However, time must be given to the staff regarding how the job should be done. This will make their commitments realistic by allowing them to learn from their accomplishments and failures.
The Scrum method needs time to incorporate; the process will take several months as employees switch from project-based to a team-centred system. However, the initiative is worth a dividend. You will not only have happier teams, but also a more successful and productive company.
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