O Scrum é ideal para o seu negócio?

Is Scrum ideal for your business?

Scrum is an incredibly powerful tool for project management, but is it what your developers need?

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Your developer teams and those who manage them could probably use a little help keeping things on track. And no matter how hard these managers try, using a spreadsheet or whiteboard won't solve the problem as these projects continue to grow in scope and scale.

That's when you bring in another system to help keep things running. But which system? There are two types of project management systems that have become incredibly popular on larger projects: Kanban and Scrum. Kanban is a very simple system that offers a visual representation of a project's progression. Although Scrum offers a similar task view, it includes some other features that serve as an attractive proposition for many companies.

But is Scrum right for your business? Let's delve deeper into this question and find out.

The Heart of Scrum

The heart and soul of Scrum empowers teamwork for very complicated projects. This should give you a very quick answer to the question. Are the projects your teams typically work on simple or complex? Or is your company about to embark on a major digital transformation to scale up and meet anticipated demand?

If the projects your teams create are simplistic, Scrum will be more than you need. It can be that simple.

But most of the time it isn't. Why? Because projects change and grow. At any time you can see a project grow exponentially because demand insists on it. If you're not prepared when this happens, your projects will stall. Either that or they will turn into a chaotic mess.

You've been down this path before and you don't want to go back. To avoid this, let's delve deeper into the Scrum methodology.

The core of the Scrum methodology empowers team members to have the courage to do the right thing and face challenging problems; focus on the work carried out during the Sprint and at the same time follow the team's objectives; commit to achieving the objectives set by the team; respect all team members; and be open about all work and challenges.

Effectively, adding Scrum to the mix requires your developers to be willing to put a lot of effort into not just the project, but the team as a whole, and to absolutely value these teammates in every way.

If this sounds like a goal your team is already accomplishing or is capable of accomplishing, Scrum could be the ideal project management solution. However, if your teams tend to work well in silos and don't need to be managed in a more organized way, Scrum could end up being a disadvantage.

Another thing to consider is that normally using Scrum requires regular meetings. These meetings (called Stand Up Meetings) tend to be very short (around 15 minutes). But everyone knows what project meetings can be like. Are your developers okay with regular meetings, or is this a topic that might turn them off? You don't want to see burnout caused by regularly scheduled meetings that may not be necessary.

In the same vein, Scrum relies on a lot of communication and collaboration. Can your teams work this way?

The ScrumSprint

Another very important aspect of Scrum is the Sprint. A Sprint is a fixed duration event where a team works together to complete a set of tasks. A Sprint can be used to complete a single task or a group of tasks. During these sprints, points are assigned to tasks. As a team (or individual developer) completes a task, they receive points.

One of the least talked about aspects of Scrum Sprints is that they inspire competition. Some people really shine during competitions. On the other hand, competitions can put even more pressure on others. Given the amount of pressure already on your developers' shoulders, will adding just a little more be productive or a disaster?

This is a question that will take considerable time to ask and answer. What type of developer do you have? To add even more complications to this, will you reward the team with more Sprint Points? And do you think this could lead to unintended consequences? Will this set a precedent you can't keep up with? Imagine that you need to start giving out prizes to keep motivating your developers.

That doesn't mean you need to. The benefit of simply coming out on top can often be quite rewarding. But you need to know how your developers will handle this level of competition.

Complications

One thing you should consider is that Scrum will find a way to play into your developers' processes. Not only do you need to take the time to find the right Scrum solution, you also need to configure it to work with your teams and projects, and get your employees up to speed.

This will take time. Can you afford to implement such a complex system into an already complicated workflow?

The Final Choice

In the end, it all comes down to one simple choice. If you have a team that doesn't require much management to keep them moving forward, Scrum will likely be overkill that could backfire. If that's the case, consider a Kanban board to better manage your simpler projects.

On the other hand, if your projects become increasingly complex and you notice that your developers are struggling to keep up, Scrum is probably the tool you need to prevent disaster from happening.

Source: BairesDev

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