Changes in the 2020 Scrum Guide: Q&A with Ken Schwaber ...

The Scrum Guide has been updated to make it less prescriptive, using simpler language to address a wider audience. An interview with Ken ... BT LiveWebinarandQ&A:GoingCloudNativewithServerlessData(LiveWebinarAug18th,2022) RegisterNow Close InfoQHomepage Articles Changesinthe2020ScrumGuide:Q&AwithKenSchwaberandJeffSutherland Culture&Methods QConSanFrancisco(Oct24-28):Uncoveremergingtrendsandpracticesfromdomainexperts. Changesinthe2020ScrumGuide:Q&AwithKenSchwaberandJeffSutherland Thisitemin japanese Like Print Bookmarks Dec24,2020 12 minread by BenLinders KenSchwaber JeffSutherland WriteforInfoQJoinacommunityofexperts.Increaseyourvisibility.Growyourcareer.Learnmore KeyTakeaways Overtheyears,theScrumGuidestartedgettingabittooprescriptive.The2020versionbringsScrumbacktobeingaminimallysufficientframeworkbyremovingorsofteningprescriptivelanguage. The2020ScrumGuidehasplacedanemphasisoneliminatingredundantandcomplexstatementsaswellasremovinganyremaininginferencetoITwork,andisnowonly13pageslong. The2020versionbringstogethereveryoneasoneteam,theScrumTeam,whilepreviousversionshadtheDevelopmentTeamwithintheScrumTeam. Thethreeartifacts,ProductBacklog,SprintBacklogandIncrementnowcontain‘commitments’tothem.FortheProductBacklogitistheProductGoal,theSprintBackloghastheSprintGoal,andtheIncrementhastheDefinitionofDone. ItisimportantforteamstorememberthatScrumisstillScrum.Scrumisaframework.Itdescribesthebareminimumtoenableateamtoworkoncomplexwork. TheScrumGuidehasbeenupdatedtomakeitlessprescriptive,usingsimplerlanguagetoaddressawideraudience.ThesechangeshavebeendonetomakeScruma"lightweightframeworkthathelpspeople,teamsandorganizationsgeneratevaluethroughadaptivesolutionsforcomplexproblems". Thechangesbetween2017and2020ScrumGuidesare: Evenlessprescriptive Oneteam,focusedononeproduct Introductionofproductgoal AhomeforSprintGoal,DefinitionofDone,andProductGoal Self-managingoverself-organizing Threesprintplanningtopics Overallsimplificationoflanguageforawideraudience InfoQinterviewedKenSchwaberandJeffSutherlandaboutthechangestotheguideandwhythesechangeswereneeded.Wealsoexploredsomeofthechangestotheguideinmoredetail:commitment,oneteam,self-managing,productgoal,andretrospectiveactions. InfoQ:Whatarethemainchangesinthe2020versionoftheScrumGuide? KenSchwaber:Inthisversion,weusedfewerwordsratherthanmorewords-morewordscomplicatethings.We’vealsotriednottoentangletoomanyideas-thiscausesconfusion.Whenwedidourfirstguideitwasover100pageslong,anditisnow13pageslongandanyonecanuseit,notjustsoftwaredevelopers.We’vealsomadeitlessprescriptive;weremovedthingslikethethreequestionsintheDailyScrumbecauseitonlyhelpedthepeoplewhousedthemandconfusedothers.Weputalotofeffortintostreamliningittobeverystraightforwardtouseforeveryoneacrossindustries. KeychangesincludethesprintGoalandtheDefinitionofDonenowbeingartifacts,andwealsoaddedtheProductGoal.Eachofthethreeartifactsnowcontains"commitments"tothem.FortheProductBacklog,itistheProductGoal,theSprintBackloghastheSprintGoal,andtheIncrementhastheDefinitionofDone. JeffSutherland:The2020ScrumGuideisshorter,morefocused,andhasOneTeam.Inadditiontotyingthethreeartifactstogoalswithcommitments,weaddressedtwoofthebiggestchallengesintheindustry:servantleaderswhodon’tlead,andself-organizingdevelopersdoingwhatevertheywantandnotmeetingthecommitments. Afterwrestlingforalongtimewithservantleadership,wefinallyjustchangedthewordorder.AScrummasterisaleaderwhoserves.ProfessorNonaku,whousedthewordScruminhis1986paperinHarvardBusinessReviewTheNewNewProductDevelopmentGame,hasconsistentlypointedoutthatthepersonwhoholdstheaccountabilitieswegivetotheScrummasteristhecatalystfororganizationchangebymanagingupandmanagingdown.Thisrequiresleadership. Self-organizationisaconceptfromtheComplexSystemsTheorywhereanintelligentsystemself-organizestoachieveagoal.Sowenowusethetermself-managingtotrytoavoidteamsweaponizingself-organizationasatooltoavoidanycommitments.Theteamself-managestodeliveronitscommitmentstomeetthegoals. InfoQ:WhywerechangestotheScrumguideneeded?Whatdroveit? Sutherland:Inmyview,thenewguideaddressesthebiggestproblemswefindinScrumimplementationaroundtheworld: Scrumisnowusedmoreoutsideofsoftware,sotheGuideneedstomovebeyondbeingsoftware-specific. WehadaScrumTeamandaDevelopmentTeam.Thisoftencreatedasituationwheretheproductownerwouldnotfeelpartoftheteamandcriticizetheteamfornotgettingstoriesdone,ratherthanbeingateammemberhelpingtheteamtomeetthesprintgoal.Also,non-softwareteamsdidnotlikebeingcalledaDevelopmentTeam. AservantleaderresultedinScrummastersbeinggoodservants,butnotleaderscreatingasituationwhere58%ofAgileteamscouldnotdeliver,accordingtoStandishGroupdataonmillionsofprojects.WehopepresentingtheScrummasterasaleaderwhoserveswillhelp. Self-organizationwaswidelymisinterpretedtomeanthatagiledevelopersdonothavetomeetcommitments.Wehopeself-managingwillcreateamorematureattitudetowardsmeetingtheneedsoftheorganization. Schwaber:Astheworldhaschangedandhasgottenmuchmorecomplex,thescopeofthatcomplexityhasgottenbiggerandbigger.ThisupdatedversionoftheScrumGuideisaimedatbringingScrumbacktobeingaminimallysufficientframeworkbyremovingorsofteningprescriptivelanguage.BysimplifyingtheScrumGuide,itultimatelymakesiteasierforpeopletouse.Weworkedwithmanypeoplewithinthecommunityacrossmultipledomainstogetittothispoint. InfoQ:Inthe2017versionoftheScrumguide,teamcommitmentwasremoved.Inthe2020versioncommitmenttothegoalhasbeenadded.Canyouelaboratewhy? Schwaber:Commitmentwasremovedbecauseweoftensawpeopleandteamsusingitasaweapon,ratherthanasaguide. Addingthisbackinfor2020wasdonetoprovideagreaterfocusfortheScrumTeamonthosethreeareas(ProductGoal,SprintGoal,DefinitionofDone). Sutherland:Earlyonwehadteamscommittodeliverthesprintbacklog.Unfortunately,somemanagersweaponizedteamvelocity.TheycriticizedteamsfordeliveringapointlessorsometimesevenfordeliveringapointmoredirectlyrunningcountertowhatEdwardDemmingtaughttheJapanese.Systemshavevariabilityandifyoutrytocontrolnormalvariability,thesystemwillspinoutofcontrol. Sotodeliverthesprintbacklog,wetookcommitmentoutoftheScrumGuidein2017andinsertedaforecastwithrespecttoestimates,andemphasizedtheSprintGoalandcommitmentasacorevalueofScrum. Inthe2020ScrumGuidewehavereinforcedcommitmentbyusingittotietheartifactstothegoals.Ithinkthisissimple,clearer,andamorelogicalwaytoframeissues. InfoQ:The2020editionnolongermentionsthedevelopmentteam,buttalksaboutoneteam-theScrumteam.Whatdoesthischangeintendtodeliver,andwhatdoyouhopethatwillhappeninteamsandorganizationsusingScrum? Schwaber:Thegoalwastoeliminatetheconceptofaseparateteam,theDevelopmentTeam,andinsteadhaveoneteamfocusedondeliveringvalue.TheseparateDevelopmentTeamcouldcreate‘usandthem’behaviorbetweentheproductowner,theScrummasteranddevelopers.ByremovingtheDevelopmentTeam,wehaveoneScrumTeamfocusedonthesameobjective.Thethreeaccountabilitiesdescribehowtheyallworktogethertodeliveronthatobjective. Sutherland:AllourScrumteamsatScrumInchaveproductownersandScrummastersfullydedicatedtotheteamsandhelpingtheteamsimplementthebacklogneededtoachievetheSprintGoal.Wehavefoundthroughrepeatedexperimentsthatthisworksbest.Thisisparticularlyimportantforteamsoutsideofsoftware-inoperations,sales,marketing,supportteams,legalteams,financeteams,etc.The2020ScrumGuideoneteamconceptreflectsthiswayofworking. InfoQ:Insteadofbeingself-organizedaswasdescribedinthe2017edition,theScrumteamisnowexpectedtobeself-managing.What’sthedifference,andwhyisitneeded? Sutherland:WhenwestartedworkingonupdatingtheScrumGuide,Ithoughtself-organizationwasthemostwidelyabusedtermintheindustrybecauseeverycompanytoldmetheyhaddeveloperswhowereself-organizingtodowhatevertheywanted,andnothelpingtheteamtomeettheSprintGoal.IrealizedthatatypicaldeveloperhadnotrainingintheComplexAdaptiveSystemTheory,anddidnotunderstandtheterm.Wehopethatself-managingwillhelpthemactmorelikeanintelligentsystem. Schwaber:PreviousScrumGuidesreferredtoDevelopmentTeamsasself-organizing,choosingwhoandhowtodowork.Withmoreofafocusononeteam,theScrumTeam,wenowemphasizeaself-managingScrumTeam,choosingwho,how,andwhattoworkon. InfoQ:WhatistheintentionoftheProductGoal?Whatdoestheconceptlooklike? Schwaber:TheProductGoalprovidescontexttotheProductBacklog.Itcanbethoughtofasthe‘why’theProductBacklogexistsandwhytheScrumTeamisdoingthework.AgoodProductGoalissomethingtostrivefor,andismeasurableandvisibletotheScrumTeamandtheirstakeholders. TheScrumGuidedoesnotprescribewhatthedetailsoftheProductGoalare,encouragingScrumTeamstoformtherightgoalfortheirsituation.Forexample,someScrumTeamsmayworktowardsaquarterlyProductGoalthatisveryfocused,whileanotherScrumTeammighthaveaProductGoalthatisveryaspirationalandlessfocused.WhatisimportantisthattheproductownerformsaProductGoalthatprovidesclarityandcontextfortheworkandiseasyfortheScrumTeamandstakeholderstounderstand. Sutherland:IwasworkingwithtrainersinEuropeandtheysaidtherewasamajorproblemwithproductownerswhohadnovisionaboutwhytheyweregivingtheteamabacklog.Thisisasignificantdemotivatortotheteam.WhenIdiscussedthiswithKen,hefeltthewaytohandleitwastomakeitmorespecifictotheProductBacklogandtheGoaloftheProductBacklog,sothatwecouldtieacommitmenttoit.Ithinkthisisagoodsolutiontotheproblem. InfoQ:Inthe2017edition,achangewasintroducedtoensurecontinuousimprovement,withtheexpectationthatthereshouldbeatleastonehighpriorityprocessimprovementidentifiedinthepreviousretrospectivemeetingintheproductbacklog.Thisadditionhasbeenremovedinthe2020edition,whichmentionsthat"Themostimpactfulimprovementsareaddressedassoonaspossible.TheymayevenbeaddedtotheSprintBacklogforthenextSprint."Whatmadeyoudecidetochangethis? Sutherland:KenwantedtomakethislessprescriptivesoIagreedtomovethisteachingtotheScrumPatternstodaywhichareessentialtoteamperformance.Thepattern"ScrummingtheScrum"hasoneimprovementfromtheRetrospectiveineverySprintBacklogandthatisessentialtoavoidteamsfailing.TheScrumGuidehastherules,butnotthePlayBook.Ispent10yearsworkingonTheScrumBook:TheSpiritoftheGamesowewouldhaveaPlayBookthatwasgloballyagreedupon. Schwaber:Scrumencouragesteamstoimprove.TheRetrospectiveeventprovidesthemwithtimetolookathowtheyareworkingandproposeimprovements.ButbyincludingaprocessimprovementeverySprint,weforcetheScrumTeamtoprioritizeimprovementoverotherformsofvalue.ThismightnotbetherightchoicefortheproductownerworkingwiththerestoftheScrumTeam.Wefeltthatthiswastooprescriptive.However,wecontinuetobelievethisisagreatpracticeandsuggestallScrumTeamsconsiderit;itjustdoesn’tneedtobeintheScrumGuide. InfoQ:Whatareyoursuggestionsforteamstoadapttothe2020editionoftheScrumGuide? Sutherland:Inmyview,theessentialsofScrumhavenotchangedovertheyears.WehaveupdatedtheScrumGuidetoclarifyissuesandmakeiteasierforteamsinanycountryandanydomaintounderstand.The2020ScrumGuideaddressesseveralofthemisinterpretationsthathavecausedthousandsofScrumteamstofailtodeliveranIncrementattheendofaSprint.OurhopeisthatwecanhelpsignificantlyimprovethepercentageofsuccessfulScrumteamsthatdeliverontheircommitments-theProductGoal,theSprintGoal,andtheDefinitionofDone-attheendofaSprint. Schwaber:ItisimportantforteamstorememberthatScrumisstillScrum.Scrumisaframework.Itdescribesthebareminimumtoenableateamtoworkoncomplexwork.Youneedtobeflexibletoinspect,adaptandevolve.TheteamstillfollowsScrumasdefinedintheScrumGuide.Theywillofcoursemovetothenewversionovertimeinsomecases,howeverScrumisstillScrumandthathasnotchanged.TodaythousandsofteamsusecomplementarypracticeswithScrumtoadaptittoworkforthem. InfoQ:What’syouradvicetoScrumtrainersandagilecoachesbasedonthechangesthathavebeenmadeintheguide? Schwaber:ReadtheScrumGuideanduseittohelpyourcustomersdealwiththecomplexitytheyface.ScrumisstillScrumandthefundamentalshavenotchanged.Itisstillaframeworkfromwhichprocessesevolvebasedonempiricalthinkingofinspectionandadaptation,andrequirestrustacrosstheorganization.Someadditionalitemshavebeenaddedandsomeareaswhereconfusionmayhavebeencausedremoved. IsuggestthatyoulookattheScrumGuidechangehistoryforsomeadditionalguidanceonthechanges. Ialsosuggestfocusingonthefundamentalsandintroducingthenewelementstoyourteam. Workwithyourteamasacoach,mentor,trainer,etc.tohelptheteamunderstandtheimpactonthem,andhowtheywork. Asatrainerorcoach,itisyourroletohelptheteamunderstandtheapplicationofScrumandhelpthemtoworktogetheronhowtheteamorganizestodelivervalue. Over25yearsagoJeffandIstartedusingScrumtohelpusdeliversoftwareproducts.Weareassurprisedasanyonehowsuccessfulitis,butwehopethatyoucanuseScrumtomaketheworldabetterplace. Sutherland:IhavebeenworkingwithourScrumtrainersandAgilecoachesonupdatingourtrainingmaterials.TherehavebeensmallchangesinthepresentationofScrumintheproductownerandScrummasterclassestoreflectthecurrentemphasisintheScrumGuideonleaderswhoserve,self-managingteams,andthethreecommitmentstiedtotheartifacts.ThecommitmenttoachievetheProductGoal,theSprintGoal,andtheDefinitionofDonefortheIncrementwillhaveincreasedemphasis.WehopethiswillhelppeopletomoreeasilyimplementgoodScrumpracticesinthebeginningandavoidhavingtofixsomanythingslater.Thatsaid,theAgilejourneyisongoingandimprovementiscontinuous.Itneverstops,sowehavenotheardthelastwordontheScrumGuide. AbouttheInterviewees KenSchwaberisChairman,FounderofScrum.OrgandCo-CreatorofScrum.KenSchwaberco-developedtheScrumframeworkwithDr.JeffSutherlandintheearly1990stohelporganizationsstrugglingwithcomplexdevelopmentprojects.OneofthesignatoriestotheAgileManifestoin2001,hesubsequentlyfoundedtheAgileAllianceandScrumAlliance.HefoundedScrum.orgin2009inordertoexecuteonhismissionofimprovingtheprofessionofsoftwaredevelopment.   Dr.JeffSutherlandisChairman,FounderofScrumIncandCo-CreatorofScrum.Dr.JeffSutherlandistheco-creatorofScrum,creatorofScrum@Scale,andoneofthesignatoriesoftheAgileManifesto.HelaunchedthefirstScrumteamin1993andhasshepherdeditsgrowthintoalmosteveryindustry.Dr.Sutherlandhasover70publishedresearchpapersintheIEEEDigitalLibraryandco-authoredthebestsellingbookScrum:TheArtofDoingTwicetheWorkinHalftheTime.HislatestbookisAScrumBook:TheSpiritoftheGame. Inspiredbythiscontent?WriteforInfoQ. 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