Scrum co-creators update Scrum Guide

This article from ITWeb discusses how Scrum co-creators Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland have made updates to the Scrum Guide, to promote flexibility and clarity within the Scrum framework.

Scrum co-creators Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland have made updates to the Scrum Guide, to promote flexibility and clarity within the Scrum framework. The framework for managing software development was last updated in July 2016.

According to Scrum.org, the updated includes a new "Uses of Scrum" section that explains what Scrum was used for and can now be used for. Scrum was initially focused on software complexity, but according to a blog by Dave West, product owner and CEO at scrum.org, by adding this section Schwaber and Sutherland provide a way for Scrum Masters not in software delivery to justify the use of Scrum. It helps resolve the age-old question ‘Scrum is only designed for software development', says West.

Also, the role of the Scrum Master was refined. West says the Scrum Master is a key role in driving change within any organisation by serving the team in their use of Scrum. This update increases the clarity of the role by adding some words around what they do and how they do it, he adds.

"As new technologies and practices have evolved over time, a misconception that Scrum is rigid has arisen and these changes will resolve that, says Schwaber. "Scrum is truly an empirical process that is not prescriptive and is adaptable by the teams using it.

"You'll no longer find the words ‘there are no exceptions' in this guide and with that comes the clarity that many releases can occur during a Sprint. We look forward to how the community will embrace this update."

According to Scrum.org, while updates are made at the discretion of Schwaber and Sutherland, recommendations and feedback from the community who are implementing these practices every day with organisations around the world are integral to the advancement of Scrum and fuel these periodic updates.

"First and foremost, we want to thank our extended team of Scrum practitioners, who offer valuable insight into the day-to-day implementation of The Scrum Guide," says Sutherland. "Without their input, the Scrum Guide would not be the living document that it is. Scrum continues to evolve in its use in delivering value to any industry."

These changes do not alter the core of what Scrum is, but instead provide clarity of definition, or usage, says West.