Scrum Framework: Roles, artifacts, and ceremonies in Scrum

Learnings
Written By Sakshi Gupta

Roles

1. Scrum Master

  • Function: The Scrum Master serves as a facilitator and coach for both the Scrum Team and the wider organization.

  • Responsibilities:Helps the team to understand and apply Scrum principles and practices.Removes impediments that hinder the team's progress.Ensures that the Scrum framework is followed, including facilitating Scrum events as needed.Acts as a buffer between the team and external distractions or interferences.Helps to improve the team’s dynamics and performance.

2. Product Owner

  • Function: The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Development Team.

  • Responsibilities:Manages and prioritizes the Product Backlog, which includes listing and detailing product features, requirements, enhancements, and fixes.Ensures that the Product Backlog is visible, transparent, and clear to all stakeholders, and shows what the Scrum Team will work on next.Decides on the release date and content.Represents the needs and desires of the stakeholders to the Scrum Team.Ensures that the Development Team understands items in the Product Backlog to the level needed.

3. Development Team

  • Function: A group of professionals who do the actual work of delivering potentially shippable product increments at the end of each Sprint.

  • Characteristics:Typically consists of 3-9 members with cross-functional skills.Self-organizing and makes decisions on how to accomplish the work.Collaboratively responsible for delivering the product increment. No titles for Development Team members, regardless of the work being performed by the person.

Artifacts

In the Scrum Framework, artifacts are key tools that provide essential information needed to start and complete the work of the Scrum Team. They are designed to maximize transparency of key information so that everybody has the same understanding of the artifact. The main artifacts in Scrum are:

1. Product Backlog

  • Description: The Product Backlog is an ordered list of everything that is known to be needed in the product. It is the single source of requirements for any changes to be made to the product.

  • Characteristics: Continually evolving and dynamic.Managed and prioritized by the Product Owner.Includes a variety of items such as features, functions, requirements, enhancements, and fixes that constitute the changes to be made to the product in future releases.

2. Sprint Backlog

  • Description: The Sprint Backlog is the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint, plus a plan for delivering the product Increment and realizing the Sprint Goal.

  • Characteristics: Created during the Sprint Planning meeting.Provides a detailed view of the work the Development Team will perform during the Sprint.Includes a plan for how to deliver the Product Increment and realize the Sprint Goal.

3. Increment

  • Description: The Increment is the sum of all the Product Backlog items completed during a Sprint and the value of the increments of all previous Sprints.

  • Characteristics: At the end of a Sprint, the new Increment must be 'Done', which means it must be in a usable condition and meet the Scrum Team’s definition of 'Done'.The Increment is a step toward a vision or goal and must be in a usable condition regardless of whether the Product Owner decides to actually release it.

Ceremonies

In Scrum, ceremonies (also known as events or rituals) are structured activities that facilitate the execution of the framework, promoting regularity and minimizing the need for meetings not defined in Scrum. Each ceremony serves a specific purpose and is essential to the team's progress and success. The main ceremonies in Scrum are:

1. Sprint Planning

  • Purpose: To plan the work to be performed during the Sprint.

  • Participants: Product Owner, Scrum Master, and the Development Team.

  • Activities:The Product Owner presents the prioritized Product Backlog items.The team selects the work they can complete during the Sprint, creating the Sprint Backlog.The team collectively discusses and agrees on the Sprint Goal, a cohesive theme or purpose for the Sprint.

2. Daily Scrum (Daily Stand-Up)

  • Purpose: To synchronize the day's work and identify any impediments.

  • Participants: Primarily the Development Team, with the Scrum Master ensuring it takes place and observing to detect and remove impediments.

  • Activities:Each team member briefly shares progress since the last meeting, plans for the day, and discusses any obstacles.The focus is on progress toward the Sprint Goal and ensuring team alignment.

3. Sprint Review

  • Purpose: To inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog if necessary.

  • Participants: Scrum Team and key stakeholders invited by the Product Owner.

  • Activities:The Development Team demonstrates what was accomplished during the Sprint.The team discusses what went well, what problems occurred, and how those problems were (or were not) solved.The Product Owner reviews the Product Backlog as it stands and discusses the next probable Product Backlog items for the next Sprint.

4. Sprint Retrospective

  • Purpose: To inspect how the last Sprint went in terms of individuals, interactions, processes, tools, and the Definition of "Done".

  • Participants: Scrum Master, Product Owner, and the Development Team.

  • Activities:Identifying and discussing what went well and where there are areas for improvement.Creating a plan for implementing improvements to the way the team does their work.The Retrospective is an opportunity for the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements to be enacted during the next Sprint.

Sakshi Gupta
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