Scrum for the Rest of Us?

a presentation on the Scrum project management approach

By Ted Ritzer

August, 2015

My source Jeff Sutherland’s Scrum book:

• This summary is based on a book “Scrum-The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time” by Jeff Sutherland, the co-creator of a project management approach called Scrum.

Where to buy the book:

• Since reading the Kindle version of the book I can recommend it, you can purchase the Kindle version at:

• http://www.amazon.com/Scrum-Doing-Twice-Work-Half-ebook/dp/B00JI54HCU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1439085590&sr=1-1&keywords=scrum+the+art+of+doing+twice+the+work+in+half+the+time

• Jeff also maintains a consultancy on the topic of Scrum, this link takes you to that website:

• http://www.scruminc.com/

“ScrumPapers”By Jeff Sutherland

• An older 2012 PDF by Jeff on the topic of Scrum can be downloaded from:

• http://jeffsutherland.com/ScrumPapers.pdf

Who Believes in This Approach?

• US Government Endorsement re Healthcare.com:

• Check out the following recent address:• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7Uo-

JpzadE

Billions in Savings?

• How Healthcare.com could have used Scrum and saved billions of dollars:

• Youtube video at:• https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=vvfI9XsBuXo

Scrum Case Studies

• The following website lists Scrum case studies:• http://www.scrumcasestudies.com/

The FBI Sentinal Project?

• FBI case study at:• http://www.scrumcasestudies.com/fbi/Key Takeaways:$575 million wasted in the first two non-scrum

iterationsUsing Scrum the staff was reduced from 400-40In 1 year and $30 million they were code

complete, at a cost savings of 90%

NetFlix?

• Article on use of Scrum at Netflix at:• http://www.uie.com/articles/fast_iterations/

Google?

• Google Scrum case study at:• http://www.scrumcasestudies.com/google/

GE Healthcare?

• Case study at: http://www.scrumcasestudies.com/ge-healthcare/

• Productivity increase of 666%• Net productivity gains of all teams was 240%

Sutherland’s Overview

• “At it’s root, Scrum is based on a simple idea; whenever you start a project, why not regularly check in, to see if what you’re doing is heading in the right direction, and if it’s actually what people want. And question whether there are ways of to improve how you are doing what you’re doing, any ways of doing it better or faster, and what may be keeping you from doing that.”

Sutherland on Great Teams“Great teams continuously ask:•What did you do since the last time we talked?•What are going to do before we talk again?•What is getting in your way?Great teams’ characteristics:•The freedom to do your job in the ay that you think best-to have autonomy. On all great teams, it’s left to the team members to decide how to carry out the goals set by those leading the organization.•Improve Team Performance: By several orders of magnitude, this has much more impact than improving individual performance.•Shared Goal: Great teams have a purpose that is greater than the individual.•Autonomy: Great teams need the freedom to make decisions on how to do things, to be respected for masters of their craft. To be able to improvise in real-time with changing conditions.•Cross Functional: The team must have every skill needed to complete the project.•Small Teams: Small teams get work done faster. The rule of thumb is seven team members plus or minus two.•Blame is Stupid: Don’t look for bad people, look for bad systems.”

Sutherland’s No No's• “Who cares how many hours someone worked on

something. All that matters is how fast it is delivered and how good it is.

• Multitasking Makes You Stupid: Doing more than one task at a time makes slower and worse at both tasks.

• Working Too Hard Only Makes More Work: Working long hours does not get more done; it gets less done.

• Don’t Be Unreasonable: Goals that are challenging motivate, goals that are impossible are just depressing.

• Enough With The Stupid Policies: Any policy that seems ridiculous likely is.

• No Assholes: Don’t be one, and don’t allow that behaviour.”

Sutherland’s Must Dos

• “Do It Right The First Time• Strive for Flow: Strive for the smoothest, most

trouble free way to get things done. Scrum is about enabling the most flow possible.

• Measure Output Not Hours• Make Everything Visible-Visually”

Conclusion-Worth Some Pilots?

• As the case study lists confirm Scrum project management can be used to good effect in industries outside of information technology.

• Key results of its use are increased productivity at less cost, with results in less time, and with happier and more productive staff!

• Yikes, seems like Scrum at least deserves some pilot tests to prove the above assertions.