Scrum Guide
The Scrum Guide outlines the theoretical framework of Scrum. In this guide, you will find the definition of Scrum, which consists of a set of artifacts, events, roles, and the rules that bind them together.
Written by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland, two of the original creators of Scrum and signatories of the Agile Manifesto, the Scrum Guide is a key resource for understanding this framework.
While the Scrum Guide is only 14 pages long (in its original 2020 version, and 17 pages in the Portuguese version), don’t assume that absorbing its contents will be easy. You should read the guide with careful attention since it is dense, and as a result, every word is important. In short, the purpose of the Scrum Guide is:
“Scrum is a framework for developing and sustaining complex products. This guide contains the definition of Scrum, which includes the Scrum roles, events, artifacts, and the rules that bind them together. Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland developed Scrum. They also wrote The Scrum Guide and provided it. Together, they support the Scrum Guide.” – The Scrum Guide
They divided The guide into chapters, including: Goal of the Scrum Guide, Definition of Scrum, Scrum Theory, Scrum Values, Scrum Team, Scrum Events, Scrum Artifacts, and a Final Note. Each chapter then delves deeply into its respective topics.
According to Scrum.org, the guide remains independent of any company or vendor. It is free and available in over 40 languages, including European Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese. You can download it here: https://scrumguides.org/
What Changed with the New Scrum Guide 2020
On November 18, 2020, they released a new version of the Guide, replacing the 2017 version. Some of the major changes include:
- The term “Development Team” was replaced with “Developers.”
- The concept of the Product Goal was introduced.
- The three questions for the Daily Scrum were removed.
However, there were additional noteworthy changes in the 2020 Scrum Guide that we’d like to highlight:
The Scrum Guide is Less Prescriptive
Over the years, the authors added more guidelines to the Scrum Guide, making it increasingly prescriptive. In this new edition, they decided to “clean up” the guide by using simpler language and removing complexities. The goal was to return to a minimalist framework that can be complemented with other practices.
The Guide is Simpler and Shorter
They completely rewritten The guide to make it simpler. As a result, the English version now contains only 14 pages, compared to the 19 pages in the 2017 version (the Brazilian Portuguese version decreased from 21 to 16 pages).
“Development Team” Replaced by “Developers”
The term “Developers” replaced “Development Team.” This change reflects that the individuals developing the product are part of the Scrum Team, but do not represent its entirety. It also reinforces that there are no sub-teams in Scrum and that there are no hierarchies—everyone in the team shares responsibility for achieving the Sprint Goal and delivering value, not just the Product Owner.
Introduction of the New “Product Goal” Concept
The Product Goal is to the Product Backlog what the Sprint Goal is to the Sprint Backlog. In other words, the Product Goal describes the Product Backlog and provides direction to the Scrum Team. Basically, its purpose is to help teams deliver value and guide each sprint toward an overarching objective for the product.
Removal of the Three Questions for the Daily Scrum
In the 2017 version, the guide provided example questions that teams could use during the Daily Scrum. However, these questions eventually became treated as rules. As a result, the 2020 guide removed these questions to make Scrum more flexible and less prescriptive.
Three Commitments Introduced in the Scrum Guide
The 2020 guide introduced three commitments, each associated with an artifact:
- Product Goal is the commitment for the Product Backlog.
- Sprint Goal is the commitment for the Sprint Backlog.
- Definition of Done is the commitment for the Increment.
These commitments aim to bring transparency and focus to each of the Scrum artifacts, reminding everyone that these artifacts represent work or value and keeping the most important information transparent.
Self-Management Instead of Self-Organization
The team no longer “self-organizes”; instead, they now self-manage. Evidently, this change emphasizes that the Scrum Team is responsible for deciding “who does what and how.” As a result, self-management gives the Scrum Team more responsibility and shifts it away from the managers.
Sprint Planning Re-planned in the Scrum Guide
In the 2017 version of the guide, they split the Sprint Planning into two parts: the What and the How. On the other hand, in the 2020 Scrum Guide, the meeting now responds to three considerations:
- Why is this Sprint valuable? The Product Owner proposes how the Sprint can add value to the product, and the Scrum Team defines the Sprint Goal.
- What can be done in this Sprint? The team selected items from the Product Backlog for inclusion in the Sprint through discussions with the Product Owner.
- How will the chosen work be done? The Developers decide how to accomplish the work and break down or decompose the Product Backlog items.
Sharing the Product Owner
According to the 2020 Scrum Guide, multiple teams can share the same Product Owner. Furthermore, if the Scrum Team becomes too large, it should split into smaller, more cohesive teams, each focused on the same product. These smaller teams should still share the same Product Goal, Product Backlog, and Product Owner to maintain cohesion.
Team Size in the Scrum Guide
The 2017 version of the guide stated that the Development Team should consist of 3 to 9 members, excluding the Scrum Master and Product Owner (unless they also do development work). The 2020 version now says that the Scrum Team should not exceed 10 members, including the Scrum Master and Product Owner.
No More “Servant Leader” in the Scrum Guide
The description of the Scrum Master role has undergone some changes. Basically, the main update is that the Scrum Master is now “accountable” for more responsibilities:
- Establishing Scrum as defined in the 2020 Scrum Guide.
- Ensuring the Scrum Team’s effectiveness.
- Acting as a catalyst for organizational change.
They replaced the term “Servant Leader” with “true leaders who serve.” Evidently, this change reflects that the Scrum Master’s role is more complex, aimed at leading the team toward higher performance levels.
Simplification of Language and Broader Accessibility of Scrum
Although the term “Developers” may seem more associated with IT, it should be viewed more broadly, as something is developed in every profession, whether a new product or procedure. In summary, they designed Scrum for all areas and industries, and now the language reflects this inclusivity.