Scrum cheat sheet

Scrum Team

• Team is cross-functional and consists of 5-9 people
• There are no set project roles within the team
• Team defines tasks and assignments
• Team is self-organizing and self-managing
• Maintains the Sprint Backlog
• Conducts the Sprint Review

Product Owner (PO)

• Accountable for product success
• Defines all product features
• Responsible for prioritizing product features
• Maintains the Product Backlog
• Insures team working on highest valued features

Scrum Master (SM)

• Holds daily 15 minute team meeting (Daily Scrum)
• Removes obstacles
• Shields the team from external interference
• Maintains the Sprint Burndown Chart
• Conducts Sprint Retrospective at the end of a Sprint
• Is a facilitator not a manager

Product Backlog - (PB)

• List of all desired product features
• List can contain bugs and non-functional items
• Product Owner responsible for prioritizing
• Items can be added by anyone at anytime
• Each item should have a business value assigned
• Maintained by the Product Owner

Sprint Backlog – (SB)

• To-do list (also known as Backlog item) for the Sprint
• Created by the Scrum Team
• Product Owner has defined as highest priority

Burndown Chart – (BC)

• Chart showing how much work remaining in a Sprint
• Calculated in hours remaining
• Maintained by the Scrum Master daily

Release Backlog – (RB)

• Same as the Product Backlog. May involve one or more sprints dependent on determined Release date

“DONE”= Potentially Shippable!

Process

Sprint Planning -> Product Backlog -> Sprint Backlog -> Daily Scrum -> Sprint Review -> Sprint Shippable Product -> Sprint Retrospective

Task Board

• White Board containing teams Sprint goals backlog items tasks tasks in progress “DONE” items and the daily Sprint Burndown chart.
• Scrum meeting best held around task board
• Visible to everyone

Sprint Planning – Day 1 / First Half

• Product backlog prepared prior to meeting
• First half – Team selects items committing to complete
• Additional discussion of PB occurs during actual Sprint

Sprint Planning – Day 1 / Second Half

• Occurs after first half done – PO available for questions
• Team solely responsible for deciding how to build
• Tasks created / assigned – Sprint Backlog produced

Daily Scrum

• Held every day during a Sprint
• Lasts 15 minutes
• Team members report to each other not Scrum Master
• Asks 3 questions during meeting
  • "What have you done since last daily scrum?"
  • "What will you do before the next daily scrum?"
  • "What obstacles are impeding your work?"
• Opportunity for team members to synchronize their work

Sprint Review

• Team presents “done” code to PO and stakeholders
• Functionality not “done” is not shown
• Feedback generated - PB maybe reprioritized
• Scrum Master sets next Sprint Review

Sprint Retrospective

• Attendees – SM and Team. PO is optional
• Questions – What went well and what can be improved?
• SM helps team in discovery – not provide answers

Visibility + Flexibility = Scrum

User Stories

• A very high level definition of what the customer wants the system to do.
• Each story is captured as a separate item on the Product Backlog
• User stories are NOT dependent on other stories
• Story Template: As a [User] I want [function] So that [desired result].
• Story Example: As a user I want to print a recipe so that I can cook it.

Story Points

• A simple way to initially estimate level of effort expected to develop
• Story points are a relative measure of feature difficulty
• Usually scored on a scale of 1-10. 1=very easy through 10=very difficult
• Example: “Send to a Friend” Story Points = 2, “Shopping Cart” Story Points = 9

Business Value

• Each User Story in the Product Backlog should have a corresponding business value assigned.
• Typically assign (LMH) Low Medium High
• PO prioritizes Backlog items by highest value

Estimate Team Capacity

• Capacity = # Teammates (Productive Hrs x Sprint Days)
• Example – Team size is 4 Productive Hrs are 5 Sprint length is 30 days.
• Capacity = 4 (5 x30) = 600 hours
• NOTE: Account for vacation time during the Sprint!

Velocity

• The rate at which team converts items to “DONE” in a single Sprint – Usually calculated in Story Points.

FAQ

- Who decides when a Release happens? At the end of any given Sprint the PO can initiate a Release.

• Who is responsible for managing the teams? The teams are responsible for managing themselves.
• What is the length of a task? Tasks should take no longer than 16 hours. If longer then the task should be broken down further.
• Who manages obstacles? Primary responsibility is on the Scrum Master. However teams must learn to resolve their own issues. If not able then escalated to SM.
• What are two of the biggest challenges in Scrum? Teams not self-managing, Scrum Master managing not leading.

Glossary of Terms

• Time Box - A period of time to finish a task. The end date is set and can not be changed
• Chickens – People that are not committed to the project and are not accountable for deliverables
• Pigs – People who are accountable for the project’s success
• Single Wringable Neck – This is the Product Owner!

5 Useful Tips for Scrum First-Timers

1. Embrace the Scrum Mindset: Fully commit to the Scrum framework and its principles. Being open to change, collaboration, and continuous improvement is key.
2. Focus on Communication: Effective communication among team members and stakeholders is crucial. Daily stand-ups and sprint retrospectives are opportunities to align and refine.
3. Start Small, Then Scale: Begin with smaller projects or sprints to get accustomed to the Scrum process. This approach allows for easier adjustments and learning.
4. Prioritize Backlog Effectively: Work closely with the Product Owner to ensure the backlog is well-organized and prioritized according to business value and team capacity.
5. Learn from Each Sprint: Reflect on what went well and what didn't after each sprint. Use retrospectives as a tool for continuous learning and adaptation.

Useful resources

1. Scrum.org Resource Center - Offers resources for all levels of Scrum learning, from beginners to advanced practitioners.
2. What is Scrum? | Atlassian - Provides a comprehensive overview of Scrum practices and principles.
3. Scrum Alliance Learning Journey - Interactive educational content for Scrum Alliance members to deepen Scrum knowledge.
4. Scrum Ideas - Free resources, articles, and guides for learning and applying Scrum and Agile principles.
5. Ways To Learn About Scrum | Scrum.org - Learning paths, self-assessments, and resources for understanding Scrum roles and practices. 6.Printable Scrum Cheat Sheet by ProTech