Think of this question as a poll, with room for discussion.
Do you think the work produced using Scrum is iterative or incremental?
Scrum consists of what we call iterations, but if you're not releasing an update to the same piece of functionality every sprint, doesn't that make your work more incremental than iterative?
I suggest that Scrum can be both iterative and incremental. Thoughts? Saving Changes...
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Wade HarshmanScrum Master| GDITIndianapolis, In, United States
The Scrum Guide (2017) often pairs these terms.
"Scrum proved especially effective in iterative and incremental knowledge transfer."
"Scrum employs an iterative, incremental approach to optimize predictability and control risk."
"Scrum Teams deliver products interatively and incrementally, maximizing opportunities for feedback."
They're difficult to separate. If a team is running iterations but not releasing increments, then are they just re-creating the same thing each iteration? What are they doing at the end of those iterations if there is no work completed? Conversely, if they're releasing incrementally but not working iteratively, then are they just following a long development plan? Why break a product into increments if you're not pausing to inspect and adapt as those increments are completed? Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
No more to add to @Wade comment. I was part of the group of authors/reviewers of the new PMBOK and the PMI has "invented" a new project life cyle called Agile which is a mix between interative and incremental. I do not agree with that and I have objective reasons to sustain what. But here we are.... Saving Changes...
Agile approaches are expected to be incremental and iterative together. Scrum is just one (albeit the most popular) framework based on agile values & principles so yes, it is incremental and iterative... Saving Changes...
Deepesh RammoorthyICT Project Manager ( PMP®AgilePM®Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®))| Australian Red Cross Blood ServiceTarneit, Vic, Australia
Scrum projects tend to provide incremental value in iterations . Iteration 1 may provide a basic functionality of a software like a login box leading to the home page and Iteration 15 may be the fully functional website with a shopping cart .....Iterations 1 to 15 produce the shopping cart website in increments . Saving Changes...
Thanks for the replies. I wasn't trying to create an echo chamber, but I'm glad you agree; I should have expected as much. The people I've meet who have been confused on the subject have had minimal exposure to Scrum (or they were salespeople!). Saving Changes...
Justus NScrum Master| BCBSTXArlington, Tx, United States
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
It is definitely both Incremental an Iterative (Inspect & Adapt) Saving Changes...
Lavetta StevensonRelease Train Engineer - NGPS/Mission Accelerator | The Boeing Company - BGS Ballwin, Mo, United States
To add to the advice given, I agree Scrum is both iterative and incremental. Adding functionality incrementally using iterations (time boxed). This is a fact. Saving Changes...
Drew CraigSr. Agile & Product Coach| VanguardPhiladelphia, Pa, United States
Not much to add really. Absolutely agree with above sentiments. Saving Changes...
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