Scrum guide · Scrum basics
What Is Scrum? The Scrum Framework Explained
Scrum is a lightweight framework that helps people, teams and organisations create value through adaptive solutions to complex problems. A small team works in short, fixed-length Sprints, delivering a usable Increment each time and using what it learns to plan the next one.
Key takeaways
- Scrum is a lightweight framework for complex work.
- It has three accountabilities, five events and three artifacts.
- Work happens in Sprints of one month or less that each deliver a usable Increment.
Scrum in one paragraph
A Product Owner orders the work in a Product Backlog. The Scrum Team turns a selection of that work into an Increment of value during a Sprint of one month or less. The team and its stakeholders inspect the results and adjust for the next Sprint. A Scrum Master helps everyone understand and use Scrum effectively. Repeat.
The building blocks
| Element | Components |
|---|---|
| Accountabilities | Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developers; see Scrum team roles |
| Events | The Sprint, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective; see Scrum ceremonies |
| Artifacts | Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Increment; see Scrum artifacts |
| Commitments | Product Goal, Sprint Goal, Definition of Done |
| Values | Commitment, focus, openness, respect, courage; see Scrum principles |
Where Scrum came from
The term comes from rugby and was used by Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka in their 1986 Harvard Business Review article on product development. Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schwaber developed Scrum for software and presented it in 1995. They maintain the official Scrum Guide, first published in 2010 and last revised in 2020.
How a Sprint works
- Sprint Planning: the team sets a Sprint Goal and selects work.
- Daily Scrum: a 15-minute daily check on progress.
- Development: the team builds a usable Increment.
- Sprint Review: stakeholders inspect the result and the backlog is adapted.
- Sprint Retrospective: the team improves how it works.
See the Scrum process for more detail.
When to use Scrum
- Complex work where requirements are likely to change.
- A dedicated, cross-functional team.
- A Product Owner who can decide priorities.
- Work that can be delivered in usable increments.
For continuous, unpredictable work, consider Kanban.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Scrum a methodology?
The Scrum Guide calls Scrum a framework rather than a methodology: it is deliberately incomplete, defining only the parts needed to apply empiricism and leaving the rest to the team.
Is Scrum only for software?
No. Scrum was designed for complex product work and is used in marketing, research, education and hardware as well as software.
What is Scrum in simple terms?
Scrum is a way for a small team to tackle complex work in short, fixed-length cycles called Sprints. Each Sprint the team delivers something usable, gets feedback and uses what it learned to plan the next Sprint.
Who created Scrum?
Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schwaber developed Scrum in the early 1990s and presented it in 1995. They co-author the official Scrum Guide.
What is the Scrum Guide?
The Scrum Guide is the official, free definition of Scrum written by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland. The current version was published in November 2020 and is available at scrumguides.org.
What are the 3-5-3 of Scrum?
A memory aid for Scrum's three accountabilities (Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developers), five events (the Sprint, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective) and three artifacts (Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Increment). See Scrum ceremonies and Scrum artifacts.
How long is a Sprint in Scrum?
One month or less. Two weeks is the most common choice, and the length stays consistent so the team can learn its pace.
How does Scrum relate to Agile?
Scrum is one specific framework for applying Agile values and principles, with defined accountabilities, events and Sprints. Agile is the broader approach: many Agile teams use Scrum, while others use Kanban, XP or hybrids. See Agile vs Scrum.
What is the difference between Scrum and Kanban?
Scrum works in fixed-length Sprints with defined accountabilities and events, while Kanban manages a continuous flow of work with WIP limits and no required roles. See Kanban vs Scrum.
Why is it called Scrum?
The name comes from the scrum in rugby, where the whole team works together to move the ball forward. Takeuchi and Nonaka used the analogy in their 1986 article on product development.
Does Scrum have a project manager?
Scrum does not define a project manager. Its work is shared between the Product Owner, who manages value and priorities, the Scrum Master, who supports effectiveness, and the self-managing Developers.