Scrum is an iterative and incremental framework for managing projects, products, or service developments. Scrum enables the creation of self- organizing teams by encouraging co-location of all team members, and verbal communication and interaction between all team members in the project. In recent years, it has become evident that organizations that use Scrum as their preferred project delivery framework consistently deliver very high Returns on Investment. Moreover, managing changes is easy through the use of short, iterative product development cycles and through interaction between the customer and the Teams. The testament to the fact that it is one of the best ways to manage a project is the fact that it has widely been adopted by all industries for example manufacturing, IT products and services to manage projects both big and small. Some examples of famous companies using Scrum are Google, Adobe, Salesforce and many more
A guide to the SBOK has been developed as a means to create a necessary guide for organizations and individuals who want to learn and implement Scrum. Up till now, there was no comprehensive document which encapsulated all the principles and processes. The SBOK Guide can be used as a reference and knowledge guide by both experienced Scrum and other product and service development practitioners, as well as by individuals with no prior experience or knowledge or other project delivery methodology. The guide explains the six principles which form the foundation of the Scrum framework. These principles are:
- Empirical Process Control
- Value-based Prioritization
- Iterative Development
Once the principles are covered, the guide's focus then shifts to another major feature of Scrum which is the five aspects. These aspects are organization, business justification, quality, change and risk. These aspects must be addressed throughout any project.
The guide also explains in detail the processes involved in carrying out a Scrum project. These processes form a part of the five phases which are:
- Plan and estimate
- Review and Retrospect
These phases describe in detail the associated inputs and outputs of each process, as well as the various tools that may be used in each.
The SBOK guide provides a very comprehensive point of view on the Scrum way of managing a project and provides meaningful insights into how you can successfully manage a project using Scrum. Even with no prior knowledge of Scrum, the SBOK guide can be used to effectively learn and implement the fine art of managing a project using Scrum at your workplace.