Will Scrum ever be a methodology?
From the The Agile Enterprise Blog
by Stelian ROMAN
"The Agile Enterprise" explores Agility at the Enterprise level, examining how Agile principles can be implemented throughout the organization beyond IT. The blog is inspired by the concept of an Agile Enterprise, introduced by the Agile Manufacturing Forum (1991) and the Manifesto for Agile Software Development (2001). Agility is examined from a Project Management perspective with a focus on areas not covered by frameworks that emerged from the work of small software development teams, such as Risk Management, Ethics, Organisational Change Management and Financial Management.
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I stumbled over the question When did scrum stop being a methodology? while working on the webinar about the role of the PMO in the Agile Enterprise. Very interesting topic because the role of the PMO is to define the project delivery processes for the organisation. My experience with Agile frameworks and PMO is that Agile was usually tolerated by the PMO, rarely understood or supported. And even when Agile become a recognised approach in the organisation the PMO will still act like it will never last.
To be honest with PMO managers, in recent times they were reduced to resource managers, hiring and firing PMs, or a reporting team that consolidates the useless weekly RAG reports in something more appealing to the executives. I had the unrealistic expectation to get support from PMO on solving the Risks and issues escalated. After all the PMO Manager had access to the layers above the project sponsor, the duty and the tools to hep with the escalation. The most support I had was a personal agreement from the PMO manager that I am right but I won't get any help.
I never considered Agile a methodology, but a collection of good practices and in relation to the concept of methodology an attribute rather than a methodology in itself.
It was reassuring to find out that even one of the co creators of Scrum never considered Scrum a methodology.
"When Ken worked on the original paper on Scrum he was CEO of a Project Management Software company selling methodologies and that crept into the paper.
As we rolled Scrum out across the world it became clear that Scrum was a framework for inspecting and adapting to improve productivity, quality, and the work life of team members. It did not have the detailed practices in “methodologies” and was a framework for adopting additional practices that worked in various enviroments.
The Scrum Guide today calls it a framework. It is the minimal set of features that allow transparency and adaptability to drive performance that exceeds that of competitors" Jeff Sutherland
Posted on: April 04, 2019 07:38 PM |
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Comments (7)
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I concur with the Scrum Guide. They describe a framework. The implementation of the framework is the methodology, and will likely vary by organization.
Al Taylor
I.T. Contractor| Independent
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
re this: "I had the unrealistic expectation to get support from PMO on solving the Risks and issues escalated"
Well said Stelian that's what I always thought we could get from the PMO. I mean "thanks for the templates and the gating process but can we get some help delivering the tough projects? $&$&"
Drew Craig
Sr. Agile & Product Coach| Vanguard
Philadelphia, Pa, United States
Definitely, agree. Clearly stated and set up as a framework, purposefully remaining simple, helping keep focus on the primary principles of transparency, inspection, adaptation; and the values of courage, focus, respect, openness. One of my favorites parts of the SG is in the definition - Scrum is 1)Lightweight, 2)Simple to understand, 3)Difficult to master.
Scrum sets the guardrails; the team paints the lines.
Thank you very much for your efforts.it's very good Topic.
Thanks, Stelian. I think you nailed it on the head. Scrum is not a project management methodology. We (project managers) perpetuate a common misunderstanding when we call it that.
Luis Branco
CEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, Ldª
Carcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Dear Stelian
Interesting your perspective on the topic: "Will Scrum ever be a methodology?"
Thanks for sharing
Important point to highlight: "As we rolled Scrum out across the world it became clear that Scrum was a framework for inspecting and adapting to improve productivity, quality, and the work life of team members."
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