Scrum – from the Simplified Scrum perspective – is founded on empiricism and agility. Empiricism asserts that knowledge comes from experience and making decisions based on what is observed. Agility increases the capability to deal with variations, changes and learning in a way that respects people and fosters collaboration.
Simplified Scrum employs an iterative, incremental approach to optimize for shared learning. Simplified Scrum engages groups of people who collectively have all the skills and expertise to do the work and share or acquire such skills as needed.
Simplified Scrum combines four formal events for inspection and adaptation within a containing event, the Sprint. These events work because they implement the empirical pillars of transparency, inspection, and adaptation. For simplicity we’ll call this “Learning” within the context of Simplified Scrum.
(entire chapter based on the Scrum Theory chapter in the 2020 Scrum Guides)
Transparency
The emergent process and work must be visible to those performing the work as well as those receiving the work. With Scrum, important decisions are based on the perceived state of its three formal artifacts. Artifacts that have low transparency can lead to decisions that diminish value and increase risk.
Transparency enables inspection. Inspection without transparency is misleading and wasteful.
(entire chapter based on the Transparency chapter in the 2020 Scrum Guides)
Inspection
The Scrum artifacts must be inspected frequently and diligently to detect potentially undesirable variances or problems. To help with inspection, Simplified Scrum provides cadence in the form of its five events.
Inspection enables adaptation. Inspection without adaptation is considered pointless. Simplified Scrum events are designed to provoke change and learning.
(entire chapter based on the Inspection chapter in the 2020 Scrum Guides)
Adaptation
If any aspect deviates outside acceptable limits or if the resulting product is unacceptable, the process being applied or the materials being produced must be adjusted. The adjustments must be made as soon as possible to minimize further deviation.
Adaptation becomes more difficult when the people involved are not empowered or self-managing. All involved, in and around the (Simplified) Scrum, are (a) expected and (b) able and empowered to adapt the moment they learn anything new through inspection.
(entire chapter based on the Adaptation chapter in the 2020 Scrum Guides)
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