Scrum has been hailed as the latest and greatest in iterative software development. It’s claim to fame is the breaking down of software development tasks in small easily manageable time frames. It introduces or reintroduces a number of dynamic work processes such as the ability to rapidly adapt to change, rapid cycles to keep work moving, constant collaboration through daily stand ups, and self managed teams.
Scrum has been very successful in efficient development of software, but not because of the grand ideas expressed in the structure. Rarely is change allowed as there is great pressure to create long sprint backlogs, although stories are usually sized to fit in a single sprint, they are often carried over into multiple sprints, the stand ups are an ideal situation for collaboration, but they are usually a check in for what progress developers have made。I have never seen a truly self managed Scrum team, usually the Scrum Master acts as a Project Manager.
Does this mean the Scrum is totally useless? Is it a fake new fad? No. It is an efficient way of organizing work on a largely repeatable software project. These days most software projects are reproducing structures that we have been building for the last twenty years. For example Web/mobile applications for commercial. When I worked on projects like that back in the last century, we were thinking of new ideas and solving all kinds of problems. Now the patterns and APIs are well established, and the work is routine, like building a house from a blueprint.
For such work, small tasks closely monitored are probably the best approach . In fact, an algorithm could probably come up with a three-month backlog in a few seconds. AI Scrum might be the wave of the future. I’m all for the most efficient way to get the job done.
When I started working in software in the 1990s, we were solving big problems and coming up with new ideas. A wise manager would assign us a big problem that would take much time and interaction to accomplish. The skills required were creativity, problem solving and and new thinking. Wise people such as the Gang of Four (Google their book on patterns), and Matin Fowler distilled the learning of those times which greatly increased our productivity but also made our work repetitive and routine.
For most basic software development these days, Scrum is an easy way for Scrum Masters (now a glorified name for Project Mangers) to keep track of and move production along. To micromanage.
Does this mean the day for creative problem solvers is over. Absolutely not. There are huge new problems in machine learning and data analytics that require thinkers and deep knowledge. Scrum will not work for these artists. The need room to roam.