EXPLAINED Scrum is a project management framework. As the most popular and widely-used Agile approach it has become synonymous with Agile software development. Scrumdoesnotdictatehoweverythingshouldbedoneonaproject butleavesmanydetailstothedevelopmentteam.Howeveritdoes haveasetofdefinedroles,terminologyandtools.Thefollowingsection describesapureScrumimplementation.Inpracticethisisadaptedto suittheorganisation,projectanddevelopmentteaminvolved. Scrum explained Scrumisbasedonaseriesofshort,focuseddevelopmentprojects calledsprints.Thesearetime-boxedwhichmeanstheymustdeliverby asetdate.Ifnecessarythescopeisreducedtodeliverontime.The deliverablefromeachsprintshouldideallybe somethingthatacustomercoulduse,i.e.apotential shippableproductwithincrementalfunctionality. Thereare3definedrolesinthedeliveryofScrum projects,theproductowner,theScrummasterandthe team. Theproductowneristhevoiceofthecustomerwith responsibilityforensuringthefinalproductdelivers customervalue. Productownerscompileandprioritiseproduct requirementstocreateaproductbacklog.Thiscreatesalistofthings tobedevelopedorderedbytheirpriority.Scrumisdesignedtocope withchangesothisisanongoinganditerativeprocess. Asnew requirementscomealongorthefocusshifts,theproductownercan re-prioritise,whichisknownas‘groomingthebacklog’. TheScrummasterchampionsandfacilitatestheScrumprocess, coachingtheteamandtacklinganyimpediments,(i.e.blockingissues) thatgetinthewayofproductdelivery. 8 ProductManagementJournalVolume 7 Scrum Therulesanditsimpactontheproductowner Fig.3Scrumis namedafterthe close-knitshoulder- to-shoulder formationusedin thesportofrugby