A Definitive Guide To Understanding Essential Scrum Processes

There is no one who is working on software development or any related field and didn't hear about the Agile methodology and its benefits over traditional software development like the Waterfall method.
Agile allows us to collect feedback about the product which we developed and its feature very early from the customer or management so we can make changes, defect repair or add a new feature to the product. Also, we always give the customer or management the most valuable features first before the less valuable features. These principles allow Agile teams to always introduce a valuable and shippable product. Agile has many frameworks that implement Agile principles but in different ways. The most popular among these frameworks are Scrum, XP, and Kanban.
We will talk about the Scrum framework in many articles that will show its value, principles, and activities to facilitate it and give us some ways to implement all of these in real life.
We will begin with this article as an introduction to Scrum and its main overview and benefits. So let’s begin.  

The State of Scrum Report 2017-2018 represents how Organizations are implementing Scrum within their company. Below is the diagrammatic view of Scrum usage.

What Is Scrum?

As described in "Essential Scrum: A Practical Guide to the Most Popular Agile Process" book by Kenneth S. Rubin:

Scrum is an Agile approach to developing innovative products and services. But when we want to implement Scrum, we can't depend on a definition, and we must depend on specific steps. So let us show in a high-level description all the necessary steps (you should remember that this is an introduction to Scrum).

We will show all of these in detail in the next articles :

• Creating a Product Backlog: A prioritized list of the features and other capabilities needed to develop a successful product.
• Prioritize the backlog items, important or highest-priority items first.
• Begin with the feature that can be completed even if it is low-priority than other features that we can’t complete within that sprint.
• Collect some items from the backlog by implementing conditions on steps 2 and 3 and put them on a time box called sprint. We must select items that are suitable to our 
• Capacity of work in one sprint (we will talk in the next articles about sprint planning and velocity).
• The work is done in sprints that can be between 1 week and 4 weeks, but the most popular is the 2-week sprint.  
• In any sprint, we do all the work that allows us to produce a shippable product which is a product with completed and working features, so we perform designing, development, testing and so on on the same sprint.
• At the end of the sprint, we conduct two activities: a review meeting and a retrospective meeting that we will describe below-
  a) Review meeting or a Demo:- In this meeting, we show our shippable product, which has been ‘done’ in the sprint and collect feedback from stakeholders and perform any changes on existing features or requests for a new feature. Some books give a specific duration, such as two hours on a two weeks sprint to these activities. But in my real life, some demos didn't take my team more than 20 minutes.
  b) Retrospective meeting: The team discusses the work of the sprint and what went right so they can use it in the upcoming sprints. They also discuss ‘what went wrong’ so they can avoid it and think of ‘what can be done’ to improve work and cooperation between the team. It also can be short, and you shouldn't make it more than half an hour, even though a lot of books say it can also be about two hours on a two weeks sprint.

What are Scrum Phases? 

Scrum phases, also referred to as scrum lifecycle phases, are the sequential stages that form the foundation of the Scrum framework in agile project management. These phases provide structure and guidance to teams, enabling them to effectively plan, execute, and review their work. The phases are designed to facilitate collaboration, communication, and continuous improvement throughout the project. By adhering to the scrum processes embedded within each phase, teams can streamline their workflow, prioritize tasks, monitor progress, and adapt to changing requirements. The scrum lifecycle phases ensure that projects are managed in an iterative and incremental manner, promoting transparency and delivering value to stakeholders. Whether it's sprint planning, execution, or review, each phase has a distinct purpose and contributes to the overall success of the project. Understanding and implementing these phases are essential for teams to achieve their project goals efficiently and effectively. 

Scrum Phases 

Scrum is a popular project management framework that follows a series of phases to ensure successful and efficient software development. Let's explore each phase in simple language: 

Initiation 

The Initiation phase sets the stage. It's where the product vision is established, the Scrum team is formed, and stakeholders are identified. An initial product backlog is developed, outlining the project's key features and requirements. 

Planning and Estimation 

Planning and Estimation involve prioritizing the product backlog items. The Scrum team estimates the effort each backlog item would take, creating a balanced and achievable plan for the upcoming sprint. 

Implementation 

During the Implementation phase, the team gets to work. They start developing the prioritized items from the sprint backlog, progressing through designing, coding, testing, and debugging. 

Reviewing 

Reviewing comes after each sprint. In the Sprint Review, the team demonstrates the completed work to the Product Owner, and stakeholders gather feedback and adjust future plans accordingly. 

Releasing 

The Releasing phase involves delivering the completed increments to the customers. Feedback is collected and fed back into the Scrum cycle, enhancing and improving the product in successive sprints.

What are the Benefits of Using Scrum Phases in Project Management?  

As was mentioned by Kenneth S. Rubin in his book "Essential Scrum: A Practical Guide to the Most Popular Agile Process", there are a lot of benefits coming from using Scrum in our work. These agile phases provide a structured framework that improves project efficiency and outcomes.  
1-Delight Customers:
At the beginning of any product lifecycle, the requirements are not clear enough, and sometimes there are a lot of requirements that the customer himself does not know well at this early time. So by using Scrum, we always show the customer a working product and collect his feedback. So, in the end, we find that all requirements of the customer are met in the final product.
2-Improve Return on Investment:
We don't have to wait till the end of product development to gain a return on investment. We gain a return on investment with every release

3-Improve Time Management: 

Efficient time management is another advantage of Scrum phases. Each phase, known as a sprint, has a defined timeframe. This timeboxing approach helps teams prioritize tasks and allocate resources effectively. By working within specific time constraints, projects are delivered in a timely manner, preventing delays and optimizing productivity.

4- It allows continuous improvement:

It also encourages continuous improvement. At the end of each phase, teams reflect on their performance, identify areas for enhancement, and implement changes accordingly. This iterative process allows for ongoing learning and refinement, resulting in continuous growth and better project outcomes.
5-Reduce Costs :
We can reduce costs by eliminating waste and dysfunction steps.
6-Fast Results:
The scrum sprint is short, between 1 week and 4 weeks as often. At the end of each sprint, we deliver working, integrated, tested, business-valuable features. So the result comes very fast.  
7- Confidence to succeed in a complex world :
In the real world, we deal with many parties such as competitors, customers, users, regulatory bodies, and other stakeholders, and we always must take quick and suitable actions such as changing some requirements, adding some new features, using new technologies or improving the quality standards to achieve stakeholders’ satisfaction and to provide a competitive product.
8- More Joy :
It fosters collaboration and transparency among team members, ensuring that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. This facilitates effective communication and teamwork, leading to increased productivity and better results.  

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The below figure shows the Scrum benefits.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, understanding Scrum phases and processes is integral to effective project management in today's complex environments. Initiation aligns the team's objectives while Planning and Estimation prioritize the tasks. During the Implementation phase, these tasks transform into concrete product features. Reviewing guarantees the work aligns with the product vision, and Releasing provides the product to end users. By comprehending these essential Scrum phases and processes, teams not only enhance their productivity and deliver high-value products but also bolster their ability to adapt swiftly to changes, emphasizing the indispensability of Scrum in modern project landscapes.