This HTML version of the Scrum Guide is a direct port of the November 2020 version available as a PDFhere.
Purpose of the Scrum Guide
We developed Scrum in the early 1990s. We wrote the first version of theScrum Guide in 2010 to help people worldwide understand Scrum. We haveevolved the Guide since then through small, functional updates.Together, we stand behind it.
The Scrum Guide contains the definition of Scrum. Each element of theframework serves a specific purpose that is essential to the overallvalue and results realized with Scrum. Changing the core design or ideasof Scrum, leaving out elements, or not following the rules of Scrum,covers up problems and limits the benefits of Scrum, potentially evenrendering it useless.
We follow the growing use of Scrum within an ever-growing complex world.We are humbled to see Scrum being adopted in many domains holdingessentially complex work, beyond software product development whereScrum has its roots. As Scrum’s use spreads, developers, researchers,analysts, scientists, and other specialists do the work. We use the word“developers” in Scrum not to exclude, but to simplify. If you get valuefrom Scrum, consider yourself included.
As Scrum is being used, patterns, processes, and insights that fit theScrum framework as described in this document, may be found, applied anddevised. Their description is beyond the purpose of the Scrum Guidebecause they are context sensitive and differ widely between Scrum uses.Such tactics for using within the Scrum framework vary widely and aredescribed elsewhere.
Scrum Definition
Scrum is a lightweight framework that helps people, teams andorganizations generate value through adaptive solutions for complexproblems.
In a nutshell, Scrum requires a Scrum Master to foster an environmentwhere:
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A Product Owner orders the work for a complex problem into a ProductBacklog.
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The Scrum Team turns a selection of the work into an Increment ofvalue during a Sprint.
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The Scrum Team and its stakeholders inspect the results and adjustfor the next Sprint.
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Repeat
Scrum is simple. Try it as is and determine if its philosophy, theory,and structure help to achieve goals and create value. The Scrumframework is purposefully incomplete, only defining the parts requiredto implement Scrum theory. Scrum is built upon by the collectiveintelligence of the people using it. Rather than provide people withdetailed instructions, the rules of Scrum guide their relationships andinteractions.
Various processes, techniques and methods can be employed within theframework. Scrum wraps around existing practices or renders themunnecessary. Scrum makes visible the relative efficacy of currentmanagement, environment, and work techniques, so that improvements canbe made.
Scrum Theory
Scrum is founded on empiricism and lean thinking. Empiricism assertsthat knowledge comes from experience and making decisions based on whatis observed. Lean thinking reduces waste and focuses on the essentials.
Scrum employs an iterative, incremental approach to optimizepredictability and to control risk. Scrum engages groups of people whocollectively have all the skills and expertise to do the work and shareor acquire such skills as needed.
Scrum combines four formal events for inspection and adaptation within acontaining event, the Sprint. These events work because they implementthe empirical Scrum pillars of transparency, inspection, and adaptation.
Transparency
The emergent process and work must be visible to those performing thework as well as those receiving the work. With Scrum, importantdecisions are based on the perceived state of its three formalartifacts. Artifacts that have low transparency can lead to decisionsthat diminish value and increase risk.
Transparency enables inspection. Inspection without transparency ismisleading and wasteful.
Inspection
The Scrum artifacts and the progress toward agreed goals must beinspected frequently and diligently to detect potentially undesirablevariances or problems. To help with inspection, Scrum provides cadencein the form of its five events.
Inspection enables adaptation. Inspection without adaptation isconsidered pointless. Scrum events are designed to provoke change.
Adaptation
If any aspects of a process deviate outside acceptable limits or if theresulting product is unacceptable, the process being applied or thematerials being produced must be adjusted. The adjustment must be madeas soon as possible to minimize further deviation.
Adaptation becomes more difficult when the people involved are notempowered or self-managing. A Scrum Team is expected to adapt the momentit learns anything new through inspection.
Scrum Values
Successful use of Scrum depends on people becoming more proficient inliving five values:
Commitment, Focus, Openness, Respect, and Courage
The Scrum Team commits to achieving its goals and to supporting eachother. Their primary focus is on the work of the Sprint to make the bestpossible progress toward these goals. The Scrum Team and itsstakeholders are open about the work and the challenges. Scrum Teammembers respect each other to be capable, independent people, and arerespected as such by the people with whom they work. The Scrum Teammembers have the courage to do the right thing, to work on toughproblems.
These values give direction to the Scrum Team with regard to their work,actions, and behavior. The decisions that are made, the steps taken, andthe way Scrum is used should reinforce these values, not diminish orundermine them. The Scrum Team members learn and explore the values asthey work with the Scrum events and artifacts. When these values areembodied by the Scrum Team and the people they work with, the empiricalScrum pillars of transparency, inspection, and adaptation come to lifebuilding trust.
Scrum Team
The fundamental unit of Scrum is a small team of people, a Scrum Team.The Scrum Team consists of one Scrum Master, one Product Owner, andDevelopers. Within a Scrum Team, there are no sub-teams or hierarchies.It is a cohesive unit of professionals focused on one objective at atime, the Product Goal.
Scrum Teams are cross-functional, meaning the members have all theskills necessary to create value each Sprint. They are alsoself-managing, meaning they internally decide who does what, when, andhow.
The Scrum Team is small enough to remain nimble and large enough tocomplete significant work within a Sprint, typically 10 or fewer people.In general, we have found that smaller teams communicate better and aremore productive. If Scrum Teams become too large, they should considerreorganizing into multiple cohesive Scrum Teams, each focused on thesame product. Therefore, they should share the same Product Goal,Product Backlog, and Product Owner.
The Scrum Team is responsible for all product-related activities fromstakeholder collaboration, verification, maintenance, operation,experimentation, research and development, and anything else that mightbe required. They are structured and empowered by the organization tomanage their own work. Working in Sprints at a sustainable pace improvesthe Scrum Team’s focus and consistency.
The entire Scrum Team is accountable for creating a valuable, usefulIncrement every Sprint. Scrum defines three specific accountabilitieswithin the Scrum Team: the Developers, the Product Owner, and the ScrumMaster.
Developers
Developers are the people in the Scrum Team that are committed tocreating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint.
The specific skills needed by the Developers are often broad and willvary with the domain of work. However, the Developers are alwaysaccountable for:
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Creating a plan for the Sprint, the Sprint Backlog;
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Instilling quality by adhering to a Definition of Done;
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Adapting their plan each day toward the Sprint Goal; and,
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Holding each other accountable as professionals.
Product Owner
The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the productresulting from the work of the Scrum Team. How this is done may varywidely across organizations, Scrum Teams, and individuals.
The Product Owner is also accountable for effective Product Backlogmanagement, which includes:
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Developing and explicitly communicating the Product Goal;
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Creating and clearly communicating Product Backlog items;
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Ordering Product Backlog items; and,
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Ensuring that the Product Backlog is transparent, visible andunderstood.
The Product Owner may do the above work or may delegate theresponsibility to others. Regardless, the Product Owner remainsaccountable.
For Product Owners to succeed, the entire organization must respecttheir decisions. These decisions are visible in the content and orderingof the Product Backlog, and through the inspectable Increment at theSprint Review.
The Product Owner is one person, not a committee. The Product Owner mayrepresent the needs of many stakeholders in the Product Backlog. Thosewanting to change the Product Backlog can do so by trying to convincethe Product Owner.
Scrum Master
The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in theScrum Guide. They do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theoryand practice, both within the Scrum Team and the organization.
The Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team’s effectiveness. Theydo this by enabling the Scrum Team to improve its practices, within theScrum framework.
Scrum Masters are true leaders who serve the Scrum Team and the largerorganization.
The Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team in several ways, including:
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Coaching the team members in self-management andcross-functionality;
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Helping the Scrum Team focus on creating high-value Increments thatmeet the Definition of Done;
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Causing the removal of impediments to the Scrum Team’s progress;and,
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Ensuring that all Scrum events take place and are positive,productive, and kept within the timebox.
The Scrum Master serves the Product Owner in several ways, including:
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Helping find techniques for effective Product Goal definition andProduct Backlog management;
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Helping the Scrum Team understand the need for clear and conciseProduct Backlog items;
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Helping establish empirical product planning for a complexenvironment; and,
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Facilitating stakeholder collaboration as requested or needed.
The Scrum Master serves the organization in several ways, including:
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Leading, training, and coaching the organization in its Scrumadoption;
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Planning and advising Scrum implementations within the organization;
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Helping employees and stakeholders understand and enact an empiricalapproach for complex work; and,
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Removing barriers between stakeholders and Scrum Teams.
Scrum Events
The Sprint is a container for all other events. Each event in Scrum is aformal opportunity to inspect and adapt Scrum artifacts. These eventsare specifically designed to enable the transparency required. Failureto operate any events as prescribed results in lost opportunities toinspect and adapt. Events are used in Scrum to create regularity and tominimize the need for meetings not defined in Scrum.
Optimally, all events are held at the same time and place to reducecomplexity.
The Sprint
Sprints are the heartbeat of Scrum, where ideas are turned into value.
They are fixed length events of one month or less to create consistency.A new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previousSprint.
All the work necessary to achieve the Product Goal, including SprintPlanning, Daily Scrums, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective, happenwithin Sprints.
During the Sprint:
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No changes are made that would endanger the Sprint Goal;
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Quality does not decrease;
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The Product Backlog is refined as needed; and,
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Scope may be clarified and renegotiated with the Product Owner asmore is learned.
Sprints enable predictability by ensuring inspection and adaptation ofprogress toward a Product Goal at least every calendar month. When aSprint’s horizon is too long the Sprint Goal may become invalid,complexity may rise, and risk may increase. Shorter Sprints can beemployed to generate more learning cycles and limit risk of cost andeffort to a smaller time frame. Each Sprint may be considered a shortproject.
Various practices exist to forecast progress, like burn-downs, burn-ups,or cumulative flows. While proven useful, these do not replace theimportance of empiricism. In complex environments, what will happen isunknown. Only what has already happened may be used for forward-lookingdecision making.
A Sprint could be cancelled if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete. Onlythe Product Owner has the authority to cancel the Sprint.
Sprint Planning
Sprint Planning initiates the Sprint by laying out the work to beperformed for the Sprint. This resulting plan is created by thecollaborative work of the entire Scrum Team.
The Product Owner ensures that attendees are prepared to discuss themost important Product Backlog items and how they map to the ProductGoal. The Scrum Team may also invite other people to attend SprintPlanning to provide advice.
Sprint Planning addresses the following topics:
Topic One: Why is this Sprint valuable?
The Product Owner proposes how the product could increase its value andutility in the current Sprint. The whole Scrum Team then collaborates todefine a Sprint Goal that communicates why the Sprint is valuable tostakeholders. The Sprint Goal must be finalized prior to the end ofSprint Planning.
Topic Two: What can be Done this Sprint?
Through discussion with the Product Owner, the Developers select itemsfrom the Product Backlog to include in the current Sprint. The ScrumTeam may refine these items during this process, which increasesunderstanding and confidence.
Selecting how much can be completed within a Sprint may be challenging.However, the more the Developers know about their past performance,their upcoming capacity, and their Definition of Done, the moreconfident they will be in their Sprint forecasts.
Topic Three: How will the chosen work get done?
For each selected Product Backlog item, the Developers plan the worknecessary to create an Increment that meets the Definition of Done. Thisis often done by decomposing Product Backlog items into smaller workitems of one day or less. How this is done is at the sole discretion ofthe Developers. No one else tells them how to turn Product Backlog itemsinto Increments of value.
The Sprint Goal, the Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint, plusthe plan for delivering them are together referred to as the SprintBacklog.
Sprint Planning is timeboxed to a maximum of eight hours for a one-monthSprint. For shorter Sprints, the event is usually shorter.
Daily Scrum
The purpose of the Daily Scrum is to inspect progress toward the SprintGoal and adapt the Sprint Backlog as necessary, adjusting the upcomingplanned work.
The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute event for the Developers of the ScrumTeam. To reduce complexity, it is held at the same time and place everyworking day of the Sprint. If the Product Owner or Scrum Master areactively working on items in the Sprint Backlog, they participate asDevelopers.
The Developers can select whatever structure and techniques they want,as long as their Daily Scrum focuses on progress toward the Sprint Goaland produces an actionable plan for the next day of work. This createsfocus and improves self-management.
Daily Scrums improve communications, identify impediments, promote quickdecision-making, and consequently eliminate the need for other meetings.
The Daily Scrum is not the only time Developers are allowed to adjusttheir plan. They often meet throughout the day for more detaileddiscussions about adapting or re-planning the rest of the Sprint’s work.
Sprint Review
The purpose of the Sprint Review is to inspect the outcome of the Sprintand determine future adaptations. The Scrum Team presents the results oftheir work to key stakeholders and progress toward the Product Goal isdiscussed.
During the event, the Scrum Team and stakeholders review what wasaccomplished in the Sprint and what has changed in their environment.Based on this information, attendees collaborate on what to do next. TheProduct Backlog may also be adjusted to meet new opportunities. TheSprint Review is a working session and the Scrum Team should avoidlimiting it to a presentation.
The Sprint Review is the second to last event of the Sprint and istimeboxed to a maximum of four hours for a one-month Sprint. For shorterSprints, the event is usually shorter.
Sprint Retrospective
The purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to increasequality and effectiveness.
The Scrum Team inspects how the last Sprint went with regards toindividuals, interactions, processes, tools, and their Definition ofDone. Inspected elements often vary with the domain of work. Assumptionsthat led them astray are identified and their origins explored. TheScrum Team discusses what went well during the Sprint, what problems itencountered, and how those problems were (or were not) solved.
The Scrum Team identifies the most helpful changes to improve itseffectiveness. The most impactful improvements are addressed as soon aspossible. They may even be added to the Sprint Backlog for the nextSprint.
The Sprint Retrospective concludes the Sprint. It is timeboxed to amaximum of three hours for a one-month Sprint. For shorter Sprints, theevent is usually shorter.
Scrum Artifacts
Scrum’s artifacts represent work or value. They are designed to maximizetransparency of key information. Thus, everyone inspecting them has thesame basis for adaptation.
Each artifact contains a commitment to ensure it provides informationthat enhances transparency and focus against which progress can bemeasured:
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For the Product Backlog it is the Product Goal.
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For the Sprint Backlog it is the Sprint Goal.
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For the Increment it is the Definition of Done.
These commitments exist to reinforce empiricism and the Scrum values forthe Scrum Team and their stakeholders.
Product Backlog
The Product Backlog is an emergent, ordered list of what is needed toimprove the product. It is the single source of work undertaken by theScrum Team.
Product Backlog items that can be Done by the Scrum Team within oneSprint are deemed ready for selection in a Sprint Planning event. Theyusually acquire this degree of transparency after refining activities.Product Backlog refinement is the act of breaking down and furtherdefining Product Backlog items into smaller more precise items. This isan ongoing activity to add details, such as a description, order, andsize. Attributes often vary with the domain of work.
The Developers who will be doing the work are responsible for thesizing. The Product Owner may influence the Developers by helping themunderstand and select trade-offs.
Commitment: Product Goal
The Product Goal describes a future state of the product which can serveas a target for the Scrum Team to plan against. The Product Goal is inthe Product Backlog. The rest of the Product Backlog emerges to define“what” will fulfill the Product Goal.
A product is a vehicle to deliver value. It has a clear boundary,known stakeholders, well-defined users or customers. A product couldbe a service, a physical product, or something more abstract.
The Product Goal is the long-term objective for the Scrum Team. Theymust fulfill (or abandon) one objective before taking on the next.
Sprint Backlog
The Sprint Backlog is composed of the Sprint Goal (why), the set ofProduct Backlog items selected for the Sprint (what), as well as anactionable plan for delivering the Increment (how).
The Sprint Backlog is a plan by and for the Developers. It is a highlyvisible, real-time picture of the work that the Developers plan toaccomplish during the Sprint in order to achieve the Sprint Goal.Consequently, the Sprint Backlog is updated throughout the Sprint asmore is learned. It should have enough detail that they can inspecttheir progress in the Daily Scrum.
Commitment: Sprint Goal
The Sprint Goal is the single objective for the Sprint. Although theSprint Goal is a commitment by the Developers, it provides flexibilityin terms of the exact work needed to achieve it. The Sprint Goal alsocreates coherence and focus, encouraging the Scrum Team to work togetherrather than on separate initiatives.
The Sprint Goal is created during the Sprint Planning event and thenadded to the Sprint Backlog. As the Developers work during the Sprint,they keep the Sprint Goal in mind. If the work turns out to be differentthan they expected, they collaborate with the Product Owner to negotiatethe scope of the Sprint Backlog within the Sprint without affecting theSprint Goal.
Increment
An Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal. EachIncrement is additive to all prior Increments and thoroughly verified,ensuring that all Increments work together. In order to provide value,the Increment must be usable.
Multiple Increments may be created within a Sprint. The sum of theIncrements is presented at the Sprint Review thus supporting empiricism.However, an Increment may be delivered to stakeholders prior to the endof the Sprint. The Sprint Review should never be considered a gate toreleasing value.
Work cannot be considered part of an Increment unless it meets theDefinition of Done.
Commitment: Definition of Done
The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of theIncrement when it meets the quality measures required for the product.
The moment a Product Backlog item meets the Definition of Done, anIncrement is born.
The Definition of Done creates transparency by providing everyone ashared understanding of what work was completed as part of theIncrement. If a Product Backlog item does not meet the Definition ofDone, it cannot be released or even presented at the Sprint Review.Instead, it returns to the Product Backlog for future consideration.
If the Definition of Done for an increment is part of the standards ofthe organization, all Scrum Teams must follow it as a minimum. If it isnot an organizational standard, the Scrum Team must create a Definitionof Done appropriate for the product.
The Developers are required to conform to the Definition of Done. Ifthere are multiple Scrum Teams working together on a product, they mustmutually define and comply with the same Definition of Done.
End Note
Scrum is free and offered in this Guide. The Scrum framework, asoutlined herein, is immutable. While implementing only parts of Scrum ispossible, the result is not Scrum. Scrum exists only in its entirety andfunctions well as a container for other techniques, methodologies, andpractices.
Acknowledgements
People
Of the thousands of people who have contributed to Scrum, we shouldsingle out those who were instrumental at the start: Jeff Sutherlandworked with Jeff McKenna and John Scumniotales, and Ken Schwaber workedwith Mike Smith and Chris Martin, and all of them worked together. Manyothers contributed in the ensuing years and without their help Scrumwould not be refined as it is today.
Scrum Guide History
Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland first co-presented Scrum at the OOPSLAConference in 1995. It essentially documented the learning that Ken andJeff gained over the previous few years and made public the first formaldefinition of Scrum.
The Scrum Guide documents Scrum as developed, evolved, and sustained for30-plus years by Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schwaber. Other sources providepatterns, processes, and insights that complement the Scrum framework.These may increase productivity, value, creativity, and satisfactionwith the results.
The complete history of Scrum is described elsewhere. To honor the firstplaces where it was tried and proven, we recognize Individual Inc.,Newspage, Fidelity Investments, and IDX (now GE Medical).
© 2020 Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland This publication is offered for license under the AttributionShare-Alike license of Creative Commons, accessible athttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode and alsodescribed in summary form athttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/. By utilizing this ScrumGuide, you acknowledge and agree that you have read and agree to bebound by the terms of the Attribution Share-Alike license of CreativeCommons.
