Scrum
Definition
Scrum is an Agile framework for managing software development, featuring defined roles, events, and artifacts to enhance team collaboration and
Use Cases
- Spotify: Coordinating product development across many teams while delivering frequent improvements to the Spotify app. — Popularized an agile-at-scale approach with small, autonomous teams (often discussed alongside Scrum concepts like iterative delivery, backlogs, and regular ceremonies). Teams use short cycles, frequent planning and review, and continuous delivery practices to ship changes safely. (Enabled rapid iteration and frequent releases while maintaining team autonomy; became a widely referenced model for scaling agile practices.)
- Microsoft: Managing large software projects with iterative planning and continuous delivery for products and cloud services. — Uses Azure DevOps Boards to run Scrum-style workflows: product backlogs, sprint backlogs, sprint planning, daily standups, reviews, and retrospectives. Work items are tracked with dashboards and integrated with CI/CD pipelines for regular releases. (Improved visibility into work, faster feedback cycles, and more predictable delivery through time-boxed iterations and integrated engineering workflows.)
- Atlassian: Helping internal teams and customers manage agile software delivery using Scrum. — Uses Jira Software to manage Scrum artifacts (product backlog, sprint backlog) and events (planning, daily standups, reviews, retrospectives) with Scrum boards, burndown charts, and reporting. Integrates with source control and CI tools to connect work items to code changes. (Streamlined planning and tracking for iterative delivery; improved transparency and coordination across engineering and product stakeholders.)
Frequently Asked Questions
- What's the difference between Scrum and Agile?
- Agile is a set of values and principles for building software iteratively with frequent feedback. Scrum is one specific Agile framework that defines roles (Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developers), events (sprints, planning, daily scrum, review, retrospective), and artifacts (product backlog, sprint backlog, increment).
- When should I use Scrum?
- Use Scrum when you have a cross-functional team building a product in an environment where requirements can change and you benefit from delivering in small increments (often 1–4 week sprints). Scrum works well when stakeholders can review progress regularly and the team can commit to consistent ceremonies and continuous improvement.
- How much does Scrum cost?
- Scrum itself is free to use—there are no licensing fees for the framework. Costs usually come from people and tooling: team time for ceremonies, training or coaching (optional), and software tools for tracking work (e.g., Jira, Azure DevOps, GitHub). If you pursue certifications (e.g., Scrum Master), those have separate exam/training fees depending on the provider.
Category: software
Difficulty: intermediate
Related Terms
See Also