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Scrum Guide 2020 Summary

Scrum Guide 2020 Summary

<a className="txt-link" href="https://www.teachingAgile.com/about">Abhay Talreja</a>

By Abhay Talreja

9/14/2023

My latest article - Empirical Process Control - The Key to Agile Success

This guide provides an overview of the Scrum Guide 2020, which is essential for preparing for the PSM-1™ (Professional Scrum Master™) exam. We'll cover key concepts and changes from the previous version of the Scrum Guide to help you gain a better understanding of the framework.

Introduction

The Scrum Guide 2020 (opens in a new tab) is the latest version of the official guide to Scrum. It was released in November 2020 and authored by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland, the creators of Scrum. Understanding the Scrum Guide is crucial for passing the PSM-1™ exam.

Scrum Theory

Scrum is based on three pillars: Transparency, Inspection, and Adaptation. It also employs an iterative, incremental approach to optimize predictability and control risk. Scrum is founded on empirical process control theory, which asserts that knowledge comes from experience and making decisions based on what is known.

Scrum Team

The Scrum Team consists of the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers. The team is self-managing, cross-functional, and focused on delivering a valuable, useful Increment every Sprint.

  1. Product Owner: The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product and managing the Product Backlog.
  2. Scrum Master: The Scrum Master is responsible for ensuring the Scrum Team adheres to Scrum theory, practices, and rules, and helps the team continuously improve.
  3. Developers: Developers are responsible for turning the Product Backlog items into a potentially releasable Increment during the Sprint.

Scrum Artifacts

Scrum artifacts represent work or value and provide transparency and opportunities for inspection and adaptation.

  1. Product Backlog: An ordered list of everything needed for the product, managed by the Product Owner.
  2. Sprint Backlog: A set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint, along with a plan to deliver them, managed by the Developers.
  3. Increment: A concrete stepping stone toward the product's vision that is a potentially releasable outcome of a Sprint.

Scrum Events

Scrum events, also known as ceremonies, are time-boxed and designed to enable critical transparency and inspection.

  1. Sprint: A time-boxed period, typically 2-4 weeks, during which the Scrum Team works to create a potentially releasable Increment.
  2. Sprint Planning: An event to plan the work for the upcoming Sprint.
  3. Daily Scrum: A 15-minute event held daily for Developers to synchronize activities and create a plan for the next 24 hours.
  4. Sprint Review: An event at the end of the Sprint to inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog based on feedback.
  5. Sprint Retrospective: An event after the Sprint Review and before the next Sprint Planning to reflect on the past Sprint and identify improvements for the next Sprint.

Changes in the 2020 Scrum Guide

The Scrum Guide 2020 introduced several changes from the previous version. Some key changes include:

  1. Simplified language: The guide is now shorter, with simpler language to improve readability and understanding.
  2. One Scrum Team: The guide emphasizes that there is only one Scrum Team, which includes the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers.
  3. Introduction of the Product Goal: The Product Goal is a long-term objective for the Scrum Team, providing guidance and focus.
  4. Commitments for each artifact: Each artifact now has a commitment to enhance focus and transparency. The Product Backlog has the Product Goal, the Sprint Backlog has the Sprint Goal, and the Increment has the Definition of Done.
  5. Removal of the Development Team term: The term "Development Team" has been replaced with "Developers" to reduce confusion and emphasize that there is only one Scrum Team.

Additional Resources

For further study and preparation for the PSM-1™ exam, consider reviewing these resources:

  1. The Scrum Guide (opens in a new tab) - The official guide to Scrum, providing a comprehensive overview of the framework.
  2. Scrum.org Resources (opens in a new tab) - A wealth of articles, webinars, and videos to deepen your understanding of Scrum.
  3. Scrum: A Pocket Guide (opens in a new tab) - A concise, easy-to-read guide to Scrum that covers the basics and offers practical tips.

Good luck with your PSM-1™ exam preparation!

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