Introduction to SCRUM
SCRUM is an Agile framework for managing complex projects. It helps teams deliver value incrementally and iteratively by organizing work into manageable sprints.
Key Concepts
- Epic: A large body of work that can be broken down into smaller features or stories.
- Feature: A piece of functionality that delivers value and is part of an epic.
- User Story: A description of a requirement from the user's perspective. It often follows the format: "As a [user], I want [goal] so that [reason]."
- Task: The smallest unit of work needed to implement a user story.
- Sprint: A time-boxed period (e.g., 2 weeks) during which a team works on a set of user stories.
- Story Points: A relative measure of the effort required to complete a user story.
Procedure
- Define the Project Title, objectives, and deliverables.
- Break down the project into Epics and Features.
- Create User Stories for each feature, ensuring they are actionable and user-focused.
- Estimate each user story using Story Points.
- Break down user stories into specific Tasks.
- Organize work into Sprints, setting clear goals for each sprint.
- Track progress using the SCRUM board or the provided template.
Story Point Estimation Techniques
Story points are a relative measure of the effort required to complete a user story. Here are some common techniques to estimate story points:
- Planning Poker: Team members use numbered cards to independently estimate the effort of a user story. Estimates are discussed, and consensus is reached.
- Fibonacci Sequence: Estimates are based on the Fibonacci sequence (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, etc.), which helps emphasize relative differences in effort.
- Bucket System: Stories are grouped into predefined "buckets" of similar size and complexity for quicker estimation.
- Comparison: Stories are compared to previously completed stories to estimate effort based on similarity.
- T-Shirt Sizing: Stories are categorized into sizes (e.g., Small, Medium, Large) based on their relative complexity.
- Dot Voting: Team members vote on story points by placing dots on a chart representing the estimated effort.
Choosing the right technique depends on the team's preference and the complexity of the project.
Template Explanation
The SCRUM template includes the following columns:
- Project Title: The name of the project.
- Sprint Number: The sprint identifier (e.g., 1, 2, etc.).
- Sprint Goal: The objective of the sprint.
- Epic: The overarching work category.
- Feature: A specific functionality within an epic.
- User Story: A user requirement for the feature.
- Task: The actionable steps to complete the user story.
- Story Points: The relative effort estimate.
- Priority: The importance level (High, Medium, Low).
- Assignee: The team member responsible for the task.
- Start Date: The date work starts.
- End Date: The date work ends.
- Status: The current status (Not Started, In Progress, Done).
- Deliverables: The outcomes of the task.
- Dependencies: Related tasks or prerequisites.
- Risks: Potential issues or challenges.
- Notes: Additional information.
Download the Template