Scrum Development Model in SDLC

The software development life cycle (SDLC) is a structured process that is used to design, develop, and test good-quality software. The SDLC life cycle model aims to deliver high-quality, maintainable software that meets the user’s requirements. In SDLC there are various models for software development models, waterfall model is one of them, but it has some limitations like difficulty to adapt the changes, less flexibility, and long software development cycles.

To overcome these challenges, the Agile method was introduced. The Scrum model is also one of the Agile frameworks that has become popular in previous years. In the following article, we will explore the Scrum Development Model in detail.

Scrum Development Model in SDLC

What is Scrum Model?

Scrum is an Agile framework for managing and organizing work on complex projects, primarily used for software development but applicable to various fields. It was originally formalized for software development projects in the early 1990’s and has since gained widespread adoption in various industries.

Key components of the Scrum Development Model:

1. Roles:

• Product Owner: Represents the stakeholders and is responsible for defining and prioritizing the product backlog.
• Scrum Master: Facilitates the Scrum process and ensures that the team adheres to its practices.
• Development Team: Cross-functional and self-organizing group responsible for delivering the product increment.

2. Artifacts:

• Product Backlog: A prioritized list of features, enhancements, and bug fixes that need to be addressed in the product.
• Backlog: A subset of the product backlog selected for a specific sprint, containing tasks the team commits to completing.
• Product Increment: The sum of all the completed product backlog items at the end of a sprint.

3. Events:

• Sprint: A time-boxed iteration (usually 2-4 weeks) during which a potentially shippable product increment is created.
• Sprint Planning: A meeting at the beginning of each sprint where the team plans the work to be done.
• Daily Scrum (Stand-up): A short daily meeting where team members discuss progress, plan for the day, and identify and address impediments.
• Sprint Review: A meeting at the end of each sprint to review the completed work and gather feedback.
• Sprint Retrospective: A meeting at the end of each sprint for the team to reflect on their processes and identify improvements.

4. Rules:

• Scrum emphasizes transparency, inspection, and adaptation.
• The product is built incrementally in fixed-length iterations (sprints).
• Changes are only made between sprints unless there is a compelling reason to make a change during a sprint.

Scrum provides a flexible and collaborative approach to project management, allowing teams to adapt to changing requirements and deliver a potentially shippable product at the end of each sprint. It is widely used in various industries for its focus on iterative development, continuous improvement, and customer feedback.

Key Principles of the Scrum Model:

There are three major key principles of the scrum model.

1) Transparency:

In Scrum transparency means that all aspects of the project should be visible and understandable to everyone involved. This includes the work being done, the progress made, and any challenges or issues faced by the team. By maintaining transparency, Scrum ensures that all team members, stakeholders, and the Product Owner have a common understanding of the project’s status. This transparency promotes collaboration, trust, and informed decision-making.

Transparency is achieved through artifacts like the Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and the Product Increment, which are accessible to all team members. Regular communication in events like the Daily Scrum and Sprint Review also contributes to transparency.

2. Inspection:

Inspection involves regular and systematic examination of the artifacts and progress during the Scrum process. This inspection is conducted by the Scrum Team, stakeholders, and other relevant parties. Through inspection, the Scrum Team can identify deviations from the expected progress, quality issues, and opportunities for improvement. Inspection points include daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, and sprint retrospectives.

Daily Scrum meetings provide a platform for the team to inspect the progress made since the last meeting and plan for the next steps. Sprint Reviews involve inspecting the completed work and gathering feedback from stakeholders.

3. Adaptation:

Adaptation refers to the act of making adjustments based on the insights gained through inspection. It involves continuous improvement and responding to changes in requirements, technology, or the project environment. By embracing adaptation, Scrum acknowledges that the ability to predict and plan every aspect of a project is limited. Teams are empowered to make informed decisions based on real-time feedback, allowing them to optimize their processes and respond to evolving conditions.

Sprint Retrospectives are a key component of adaptation, where the team reflects on the just-concluded sprint and identifies areas for improvement. The Product Owner may also adapt the product backlog based on changing priorities or insights gained during the development process.

How Scrum Model Works?

How Scrum Model Works?

Scrum model in SDLC follows a structured approach to software development that involves the following steps:

1. Product Backlog: The Product Backlog is a prioritized list of features, user stories, enhancements, and bug fixes that need to be addressed in the product. It is managed by the Product Owner and serves as the source of work for the Development Team.
2. Planning Sprint: Sprint Planning is a key event at the beginning of each sprint. During this meeting, the Scrum Team, including the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Development Team, collaboratively selects items from the Product Backlog to work on during the upcoming sprint. The team defines the Sprint Goal and creates the Sprint Backlog, detailing the tasks required to complete the selected items.
3. Sprint Meeting: The Sprint Meeting, often referred to as the Daily Scrum or Daily Stand-up, is a brief daily meeting where team members provide updates on their progress, discuss what they plan to work on next, and highlight any impediments. The goal is to synchronize the team’s activities and ensure everyone is on the same page.
4. Sprint Review: The Sprint Review is held at the end of each sprint. The Scrum Team, stakeholders, and the Product Owner come together to review the completed work. The Development Team demonstrates the product increment, and stakeholders provide feedback. This session informs future planning and adjustments to the Product Backlog.
5. Sprint retrospective: The Sprint Retrospective occurs after the Sprint Review and involves the Scrum Team reflecting on the previous sprint. The team discusses what went well, what could be improved, and any action items for enhancing their processes. The focus is on continuous improvement.
6. Repeat: After the Sprint Retrospective, the cycle repeats with a new Sprint Planning meeting, followed by another sprint of development, daily stand-ups, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective. This iterative process continues throughout the project, allowing the team to adapt to changing requirements, continuously improve, and deliver increments of the product at the end of each sprint.

This cyclic nature of Scrum, with its defined events and roles, supports agility and responsiveness in software development. The emphasis on regular inspection, adaptation, and collaboration contributes to the framework’s effectiveness in delivering value to stakeholders in a dynamic environment.

Benefits of Scrum Model in SDLC:

The Scrum model offers several benefits that contribute to its widespread adoption in the software development industry and beyond. Here are some key advantages of the Scrum framework:

• Flexibility and Adaptability: Scrum’s iterative and incremental approach allows teams to adapt to changing requirements, priorities, and stakeholder feedback. This flexibility is especially valuable in dynamic and unpredictable project environments.
• Customer Satisfaction: Regular sprint reviews and frequent delivery of potentially shippable product increments enable continuous feedback from stakeholders. This ensures that the product aligns with customer expectations, leading to increased satisfaction.
• Early and Predictable Delivery: Scrum’s time-boxed sprints result in regular and predictable releases of product increments. This facilitates early delivery of valuable features and allows stakeholders to plan accordingly.
• Improved Collaboration: Scrum emphasizes collaboration among team members, stakeholders, and the Product Owner. Daily stand-up meetings, sprint reviews, and other Scrum events foster open communication and enhance teamwork.
• Increased Transparency: Scrum promotes transparency through artifacts like the Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and burndown charts. This visibility into the project’s status and progress helps stakeholders make informed decisions.
• Reduced Time to Market: The iterative nature of Scrum, combined with regular releases, enables faster time-to-market for products. Teams can deliver valuable increments at the end of each sprint, providing opportunities for early product launches or updates.
• Continuous Improvement: Sprint retrospectives encourage the team to reflect on their processes and identify areas for improvement. This commitment to continuous improvement leads to enhanced efficiency, productivity, and overall project success.
• Increased Product Quality: Scrum promotes a focus on delivering a potentially shippable product at the end of each sprint. This emphasis on quality, combined with regular testing and feedback, contributes to the overall quality of the product.
• Risk Management: The Scrum framework encourages early identification and mitigation of risks. Regular inspection of the product and adaptation of the development process enable teams to address issues promptly.
• Empowered and Motivated Teams: Scrum empowers cross-functional, self-organizing teams to make decisions and take ownership of their work. This autonomy fosters a sense of responsibility and motivation among team members.
• Cost Control: The incremental and iterative nature of Scrum allows for better cost control. Stakeholders can evaluate progress regularly, and adjustments can be made based on evolving priorities and budget considerations.
• Scalability: Scrum can be scaled to larger projects by using frameworks like the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) or Large Scale Scrum (LeSS). This scalability makes it applicable to a wide range of projects, from small teams to large enterprises.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the Scrum model offers a transformative approach to software development and project management. Its core principles of flexibility, transparency, and collaboration enable early and predictable delivery, fostering customer satisfaction through regular stakeholder engagement. With a focus on continuous improvement, Scrum empowers self-organizing teams, promoting motivation and a commitment to excellence. The framework’s scalability, coupled with its ability to control costs, manage risks, and reduce time to market, has made it a cornerstone in the agile methodology landscape. In today’s dynamic business environment, organizations adopting Scrum not only enhance project outcomes but also cultivate a culture of innovation and adaptability, positioning them for success in the ever-evolving landscape of software development.