Scrum – An Agile Process for Complicated Projects

Posted: February 20, 2012

Plans to manage complex projects such as software development just can’t be whipped out with a ballpoint pen and a cocktail napkin. A team dedicated to the details is a must, but it doesn’t hurt to have a process and some tools to tame those deadlines and requirements.

Plans to manage complex projects such as software development just can’t be whipped out with a ballpoint pen and a cocktail napkin. A team dedicated to the details is a must, but it doesn’t hurt to have a process and some tools to tame those deadlines and requirements.

Kalkomey, a POMA corporate member, uses an agile project management framework known as Scrum to develop and deliver its Internet safety education courses and data management applications. The goal of Scrum is to encourage creativity by providing a simple framework for prioritizing deliverables and encouraging teams to collaborate.

In Scrum, a prioritized wish list is tackled piece by piece within a designated time frame known as a sprint. Each sprint lasts two to four weeks and consists of a set of tasks that build upon previously created pieces. This cycle is repeated until enough items from the wish list have been completed, the budget is depleted, or a deadline arrives. Using this process enables teams to respond to feedback and change and to build exactly and only what is needed.

Scrum has its own language. Depending on your role in a project, you might be a product owner, a ScrumMaster, or part of a Scrum team. As part of a team, you could be involved in sprint planning, brief meetings called daily scrum and sprint review meetings, where the team demonstrates the product at the end of each sprint.

Using Scrum effectively takes training and practice. For more information, visit http://www.scrum.org/