Brightmoon Consulting & Training

Now you can search our office location in Google Map.

Scrum has proven its benefits in software development. These projects are having transparent communication, high adaptability, better client engagement, and many more. Thus, this create an impression that Scrum is only for software development and nothing else.

Many other industries are eyeing on how to harvest such benefits of Scrum in their context. Let's take a step back - PRINCE2 was originated for IT projects, PMBoK was initially meant for construction projects  Now many non-IT, non-construction industries are using them.


Scrum is a Framework
Virtually all industries are able adopt Scrum without having to make it industry-neutral. Scrum is a framework and not a methodology. Allow us to have quick look on their differences.

Framework - it outlines the principles and generally answer "Why & How" and often challenges status quo.
For examples:

1. Why we need lengthy meetings? How to make meeting value-add to client?
   
2. Why client not satisfy with our hard works? How to increase client satisfaction the simplest way?
   
3. Why team are not performing? How to make the team self-organized?

Methodology - it prescribes the working mechanisms of an activity/ deliverable, i.e. "What" need to to be done by "Who" via "How" approach in the timing of "When".
For example:

1. What are needed in a Project Charter? Who is responsible to create/ review/ approve it? When it is needed before next activity can start?

Framework is for Adoption and not Adaptation
As a framework, it must be accepted as a whole. Any changes on it, may invite chaos if not catastrophe. When the Scrum framework is adhered, you can come out your own working mechanism based on your preferences.

Just like a house - its framework is solid foundation of everything in it, which make the occupants comfortable living in it. You can decorate it without worrying its safety. Any removal of the framework entails unexpected risks.

Concluding Notes
When you are planning to introduce Scrum in your team/ organization, it will be better to have someone knowledgeable in Scrum to be on your side. This is to ensure the Scrum framework is maintained and not omitted.

On the other side, if your Scrum does not deliver expected benefits, you may want to consider to re-inspect its framework. Hopefully after the inspection, you can restore the framework and reap its intended benefits.

Have fun decorating your Scrum framework.

We are delighted to introduce this complementary half-day training to you. Seats are limited. Please register yourselves in Eventbrite to avoid disappointment.

Who Should Attend?

• Business Owners
• Management Team
• Project Management Team Members
• Whoever passionate want to know more about PRINCE2
  

What is PRINCE2?
It is a project management methodology with worldwide recognition and adoption. Join this session to find out more.

What Do I Gain?
After this session, you will have higher level of appreciation/ understanding on PRINCE2. And, it can help you to plan your professional develop in the realm of Project Management.

What Can an Organization Gain?
You can plan how to reap the practical benefits of PRINCE2 in your Organization.

Intended Benefits of Scrum
Scrum is gaining popularity due to its benefits in making a team more adaptive and responsive to its ever-changing environment, such as volatile user changes, technology advancement & etc. In the nutshell, Scrum is to make a team be self-organized. An self-organized team able to deliver results with higher customer satisfaction and better client engagement.

Introducing Scrum Role
More and more organizations introduce a role named Scrum Master (SM). This role is a Scrum evangelist in the organization. He/ she does not have any authority over the team and only facilitates the team to be self-organized. The first expected benefit is the team won't cause any headache to the management team, particularly in managing their works in a team. The communication within the team is open and transparent. Thus, everyone has a happier life.

The Reality
Back to reality, many organizations pro-claimed they are using Scrum or have roles of SM/ Product Owner (PO). However, these roles expects the team can deliver faster under the flag of Scrum, despite the fundamental working arrangements are status-quo (i.e. prior introduction of Scrum). The SM/ PO holds responsibilities of typical team lead or manager. They dictate how the team doing their works, which is contradicting to Scrum approach - make the team self-organized. Due to various reason, they refused to claim they failed in using Scrum, they said they "adapted" Scrum.

"Adapted" Scrum - The Destroyer
Let's have a quick reality check, whether your organization or team has "adapted" Scrum in a counter-productive way:-

1. The team size is too small - ideal team size is 3 to 7 person.
2. Someone dictate of how a job is done - definition of done should agreed up front.
3. Estimation of each work is done by someone - estimation should solicit from the team as they know their stuffs well.
4. Someone assigns the works to each team member - as self-organized team, the team is empowered with commitment to their taken jobs.
5. Sprint Backlog is owned by someone and not the team - Sprint Backlog is ownership of the team and their prioritize their works to meet the ultimate goal.
   
6. Changes are frequently interrupted a sprint in progress - this hinder the concentration of the team and their progress.
7. Daily Scrum (a.k.a. stand up meeting) is omitted and replaced with lengthy project status meeting - daily Scrum is an avenue to make the communication crisp and transparent.

Concluding Remarks
Scrum is designed to make the team self-organized. Such self-organized team won't happen overnight and it takes time to nurture them. Once they are matured, an organization can harvest maximum benefits of such self-organized team.

When the "adapted" Scrum unable to make your team self-organized, it must be something wrong. Take a step back and look on what you really want from Scrum. It requires change of mindset and ways of working. A proper transition plan is needed to ensure everyone (beside the team) understand how to make Scrum works. It should follow-up with a monitoring stage to ensure the organization/ team practice Scrum to its fullest.