Measuring the impact of Scrum

The impact of Scrum can vary based on the environment.

Maximising the impact of Scrum

Leaders have a responsibility to ensure that Scrum is being used to it’s full potential to maximise its benefits.

The impact of Scrum can vary based on the environment. It hinges on factors such as willingness to embrace the empirical process for tackling uncertainty and complexity, support for experimentation and learning, and the demand for consistent, incremental value delivery.

Many organisations and teams are satisfied with marginal gains achieved in implanting Scrum (any improvement in ways of working is better than none after all).

However, the resulting lack of optimisation and complacence limits the upside, leaving further gains on the table and possibly putting a lid on the return on investment from enhanced ways of working.

Assessment critera

Use the assessment criteria to evaluate if these values are being realised in your organisation and identify areas for improvement.

Efficient, Effective Scrum Events
Are all Scrum events being held regularly and with the appropriate timebox? Sprint planning, daily scrum, sprint review and sprint retrospective.

Is the team actively participating and contributing during these events?
Efficient, Effective Scrum Events
Empowered and Engaged Product Ownership
Is the Product Owner actively engaged with the team throughout the sprint?

Does the Product Owner provide clear priorities and requirements to the team?

Is the product backlog well-maintained and consistently prioritised based on value?

Does the team have a well defined product goal?
Empowered and Engaged Product Ownership
Effective Communication and Collaboration
Is the team effectively communicating?

Are stakeholders and the Product Owner engaged and involved in the team’s process?
Effective Communication and Collaboration
Increased Adaptability and Flexibility
How well does the team respond to changes in requirements and priorities during a sprint? 

Is the team open to adjusting plans based on new information or customer feedback? 
Increased Adaptability and Flexibility
Value Focused Sprint Execution
Are sprints consistently delivering potentially shippable increments?

Is the team able to meet the sprint goals and complete the planned work within the sprint?
Value Focused Sprint Execution
Ability to Plan
What is the team’s historical sprint velocity and how predictable is it?

Is the team able to forecast and meet its commitments reliably?
Ability to Plan
Increased Stakeholder Satisfaction
Are stakeholders providing timely and valuable feedback on the product?

How satisfied are stakeholders with the team’s performance and the product’s progress?
Increased Stakeholder Satisfaction

Effective ways to introduce, transform, and enhance ways of working.

Agile implementation has slipped away from us. Many organisations are deeply engaged in it, but opportunism and a desire for quick results have diluted the practice. We have forgotten that Agile is the mindset we should adopt and not the framework that makes it happen.

 

In our latest publication, we draw from our experience of working with local and international blue-chip organisations for over 20 years, and unpack various Agile methodologies.