5 Scrum Boards that perfectly depict project progress

Quite possibly, few tools are as simple – yet as powerful – as a Scrum task board. Teams that plan their work in sprints use these boards during each sprint to visually depict where they are at. Just by looking at the task board, it is possible to evaluate the progress and judge whether the sprint is on track or not.

In its simplest form, a task board has a list of tasks that are categorized as yet-to-start, ongoing and completed. Over the years, Agile teams across the world have created their own adaptations of the traditional Scrum board….have a look, and decide which one will work for you!

1. The Scrum wall

Teams that use up the entire wall as a Scrum task board get extra space that can be put to good use. They can put down all their information in one place, with additional inputs like the overall calendar, backlog, decisions, comments and so on up there for everyone to see.

2. Say it with Lego!

We always knew Lego was versatile, but this gives the concept of versatility a whole new look! This team uses a Lego planning board, with rows depicting user stories and columns depicting weeks or sprints.

Each team member is assigned one colour, and the numbers of bricks in that colour show the exact time availability of that member. A long 4 stud brick indicates a full day of work, while a two stud represents a half day. A fun and creative way to plan your sprints!

3. Hourglass Scrum/Kanban board

An hourglass is a fun way to depict the flow of tasks. Work in progress tasks are the ones at the neck of the hourglass; completed tasks are moved below and the pending ones are in the top half of the hourglass. Note that when the WIP tasks are limited to one in each story( as the space in the neck is narrow), they get more attention.

4. Release Radar

By turning the traditional board into a circle, this team led by Daniel Aragao of Thoughtworks created a great way to deal with prioritising urgent tasks. Items in the outer rings of the circle are not urgently required, while those closer to the centre are needed asap. Each slice of the circle represents a project , which is identified by a sticky note on the outer edge.

5. Scrum for Trello

Teams that work in different locations and across various time zones need a virtual Scrum board to track work progress. Trello is often used to manage task boards and sprints, with a Firefox/Chrome extension called Scrum for Trello.

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Innovation is the key to success. What works for another Scrum team may not work as well for you; try out your own tweaks and quirks, and customise your own Scrum task Board. You can learn more about Scrum tools and techniques by attending a CSM Training from a certified trainer.

Happy Scrumming!