The Agile Daily Standup - AgileDad

How To Fix The Top 3 Most Common Scrum Issues

Jun 12, 2024

Top 3 common Scrum issues discussed: Avoid Sprint Zero, clear acceptance criteria, don't treat story points as hours. Practical solutions provided for better Scrum effectiveness.

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Quick takeaways

Avoid starting projects with a Sprint Zero to allow for thorough planning and setup extending beyond a single sprint.

Ensure clear acceptance criteria and educate on using story points for relative effort, not hours, to maintain agility and adaptability.

Deep dives

Avoid Starting Projects with Sprint Zero

Starting projects with a so-called 'sprint zero' is not recommended as it often lacks the necessary time and context for proper planning. Instead, focus on proper refinement, grooming, and release planning to avoid the need for a preparatory sprint. This approach can streamline the workflow and improve efficiency by emphasizing doing things right from the beginning.

Fixing the Top 3 Most Common Scrum Issues

5min

How To Fix The Top 3 Most Common Scrum Issues

1. Avoid starting projects with a Sprint Zero

Sprint Zero often doesn’t provide enough time for thorough planning and architectural decisions. Instead, advocate for a flexible approach. Ensure initial planning and setup extend beyond a single sprint. This way, your team can establish a solid foundation for future development without feeling rushed.

2. Ensure thorough planning and clear acceptance criteria

Starting sprints without clear acceptance criteria can lead to scope creep and missed deadlines. Before beginning any sprint, ensure a detailed agreement between developers and management. This should outline exactly what needs to be built, including all edge cases and validation rules. Clear criteria help keep the team focused and on track.

3. Avoid treating story points as hours

Converting story points into hours undermines the agile methodology by bringing back the rigidity of waterfall projects. Educate your team and management on the correct use of story points to represent relative effort and complexity, not time. This maintains the flexibility and effectiveness of the scrum process, allowing for better adaptation to changes and challenges.

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