TL;DR: Agile working with Scrum offers 16 benefits: adaptability, transparency, continuous feedback, continuous improvement, value delivery, sustainable pace, early value, efficiency, motivation, fast problem-solving, effective deliveries, customer focus, high trust, collective ownership, high velocity, and innovation.
In an earlier article, I told you about the meaning and content of Agile working with Scrum. But what does it actually deliver? A lot. Let me explain: all the benefits of Agile working with Scrum.
Adaptability
Let me start with adaptability. The beauty of Scrum is that it breathes flexibility. Within Scrum, a project is planned and delivered step by step, sprint by sprint. This makes every sprint an opportunity to learn and adapt. If you've ever worked on a project where change was seen as an obstacle, you'll find it refreshing how Scrum embraces change as an opportunity for improvement.
Transparency
Scrum loves transparency. Scrum tools like the Scrum board and Sprint Burndown Chart are shared with everyone. This means everyone knows what's happening, who's working on what, and how close we are to our goals. No secrets, no surprises, open and honest communication.
Key takeaway: Transparency is one of the three pillars of Scrum. The Scrum board and Burndown Charts make visible to everyone where the team stands and what they're working towards.
Continuous Feedback
Scrum is like that true friend who also has your best interests in mind. Through daily standup meetings, reviews, and retrospective meetings, Scrum ensures constant feedback. This allows us to collaborate more closely, learn from our mistakes, celebrate our successes, and keep improving.
Continuous Improvement
Speaking of improvement, Scrum is known for providing space for constant improvement. Every sprint is an opportunity to make our product or service better. Not settling for "good enough," we always strive for better.
Continuous Value Delivery
Scrum is not only focused on improvement but also on delivering value earlier. Through Scrum's iterative processes, we can deliver value to our customers and users sooner. No more waiting until the end of the project to see value; with Scrum, we see progress and results earlier.
Sustainable Pace
Another great advantage of Scrum is the sustainable pace. It has evolved so that people can work at a pace they can continuously maintain. No exhaustion, no burnouts, but a sustainable and healthy pace that makes it possible to remain productive and happy in the long term.
Key takeaway: Scrum promotes a sustainable work pace. No sprints with overtime, but a constant rhythm that teams can maintain for years without burn-out.
Early Delivery of High Value
Within Scrum, we ensure that the customer's highest value requirements are fulfilled first. This means we focus on delivering the most valuable features or components first, allowing customers to see value faster.
Efficient Development Process
Thanks to time-boxing, setting maximum times for meetings, and Scrum's focused approach, we can achieve a higher level of efficiency. By minimizing non-essential work and focusing on what really matters, we can deliver results faster and more efficiently.
Motivation
Scrum is also great for team motivation. Through daily scrum and retrospective meetings, you're able to take responsibility for your part of the project. This makes you feel heard and valued, motivating you to further contribute to the team's success.
Faster Problem Solving
In a Scrum environment, collaboration is encouraged, leading to faster problem-solving. And by working together in a cross-functional team, problems can be solved more quickly.
Effective Deliveries
Scrum also ensures effective deliveries to the customer. With continuous reviews and improvements, we are able to deliver high-quality products or services to our customers.
Customer Focus
In Scrum too, the customer is king. By emphasizing value and a strongly collaborative approach with stakeholders, we ensure our efforts are always directed at what's best for the customer.
High-Trust Environment
Scrum also promotes a high-trust environment. By conducting daily stand-ups and retrospective sprint processes, transparency and collaboration are encouraged, leading to a workplace with a high degree of trust.
Key takeaway: Scrum creates psychological safety. Teams learn to discuss mistakes without fear, leading to faster learning and better results.
Collective Ownership
Within Scrum, ownership of the project is shared by all team members. Everyone has the opportunity to contribute, take responsibility, and own their work. This leads to higher quality and greater engagement with the work.
High Velocity
Thanks to Scrum's collaborative approach, teams can reach their full potential and perform at high velocity. No time wasted on unnecessary meetings or bureaucracy, just fast, efficient progress.
Innovative Environment
Finally, Scrum fosters an innovative and creative work environment. Through retrospective processes, an environment of introspection, learning, and adaptability emerges, leading to innovation and creativity.
Those are all the benefits of Agile working with Scrum. It's not just about efficiency and productivity; it's also about building a healthy, motivating, and innovative work environment. It's truly a win-win for everyone.
Want to deepen your knowledge of Scrum? Consider one of our certification trainings such as Scrum Master or Scrum Product Owner.
Looking for which Scrum role suits you best? Take this short quiz.
Written by
Merijn Visman
Certified Scrum Trainer
For over 15 years, I have been helping professionals and organizations work more effectively with Agile and Scrum. My trainings are practical, interactive, and immediately applicable in your daily work.
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