When Scrum becomes the very evil it was to overcome

There’s no doubt that Scrum has becomeThere’s no doubt that Scrum has become the most popular of Agile methods for software development and other projects, but if we step back a moment, we have to sometimes realize that it is a lightweight “framework” for managing projects, whereas Agile as outlined in the Agile Manifesto is a set of “values”.

There’s no doubt that Scrum has become the most popular of Agile methods for software development and other projects, but if we step back a moment, we have to sometimes realize that it is only a lightweight “framework” for managing projects, whereas Agile as outlined in the Agile Manifesto is a set of “values”.  It is your responsibility to align the use of Scrum with the Agile values.

 

With this being the case, I’m getting lots of anecdotal evidence that Scrum is becoming within the industry the very evil it was to overcome.  Namely, a rigid command and control  process that enforces a mechanistic adherence to iterations, ceremonies and artifacts.  Examples would be a rigid conformance of spring planning models that must follow specific ceremonies, maintaining who controls and manages the backlog, and how Sprints should be deployed (or rudely “pushed” out).

 

This rigid robot like mindset is quite antithetical to the values and sprit of Agile, but with the commercial success of a method like Scrum and it’s widespread adoption both within its software development roots and outside it, there seems to be a growing trend of a more dogmatic, stifling and stale version of Scrum that is permeating the industry.

 

Like I mentioned, I don’t have lots of data either quantitative or qualitative to back this up, but it is a sentiment that seems to be growing and shared amongst those who for the most part feel that Scrum was pushed down on them because someone heard it was a popular Agile method.

 

Am I right or wrong?  I’d like to know what you think!

Am I right or wrong?  I’d like to know what you think! the most popular of Agile methods for software development and other projects, but if we step back a moment, we have to sometimes realize that it is a lightweight “framework” for managing projects, whereas Agile as outlined in the Agile Manifesto is a set of “values”.

 

With this being the case, I’m getting lots of anecdotal evidence that Scrum is becoming within the industry the very evil it was to overcome.  Namely, a rigid command and control  process that enforces a mechanistic adherence to iterations, ceremonies and artifacts.  Examples would be a rigid conformance of spring planning models that must follow specific ceremonies, maintaining who controls and manages the backlog, and how Sprints should be deployed (or rudely “pushed” out).

 

This rigid robot like mindset is quite antithetical to the values and sprit of Agile, but with the commercial success of a method like Scrum and it’s widespread adoption both within its software development roots and outside it, there seems to be a growing trend of a more dogmatic, stifling and stale Scrum that is permeating the industry.

 

Like I mentioned, I don’t have lots of data either quantitative or qualitative to back this up, but it is a sentiment that seems to be growing and shared amongst those who for the most part feel that Scrum was pushed down on them because someone heard it was a popular Agile method.

 

Am I right or wrong?  I’d like to know what you think!