Scrum Framework
Scrum is a lightweight agile framework that uses fixed-length iterations called sprints, defined roles, events, and artifacts to help teams deliver complex products incrementally and iteratively.
Explanation
Scrum is the most widely used agile framework and is built on the pillars of transparency, inspection, and adaptation. It defines three roles (Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Developers), five events (Sprint, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective), and three artifacts (Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increment). Each artifact has a commitment that provides transparency: the Product Goal, Sprint Goal, and Definition of Done.
A Scrum team works in sprints, which are fixed-length iterations typically lasting one to four weeks. At the start of each sprint, the team plans the work. During the sprint, the team holds daily standups to synchronize. At the end, they review the increment with stakeholders and hold a retrospective to improve their process.
Scrum is empirical, meaning decisions are based on observation and experimentation rather than detailed upfront planning. This makes it especially effective for projects with high uncertainty and rapidly changing requirements. PMI heavily tests Scrum concepts on both the PMP and CAPM exams.
Key Points
- •Built on three pillars: transparency, inspection, and adaptation
- •Three roles: Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Developers
- •Five events: Sprint, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective
- •Three artifacts with commitments: Product Backlog (Product Goal), Sprint Backlog (Sprint Goal), Increment (Definition of Done)
Exam Tip
Know the three pillars and how each Scrum event maps to inspection and adaptation. Scrum is the most frequently tested agile framework on PMI exams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Topics
Scrum Master
The Scrum Master is the accountability within Scrum responsible for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide, helping the team and organization understand Scrum theory and practice, and removing impediments.
Product Owner
The Product Owner is the Scrum accountability responsible for maximizing the value of the product by managing and ordering the Product Backlog, representing stakeholder needs, and ensuring the team builds the right thing.
Sprint
A Sprint is a fixed-length timebox of one month or less in Scrum during which the team creates a usable, potentially releasable product Increment.
Development Team (Scrum)
The Development Team, called Developers in the latest Scrum Guide, consists of the cross-functional professionals who do the work of delivering a potentially releasable Increment each sprint.
Most-studied PMP concepts
High-yield topics our learners drill most before exam day.
Burndown Chart
A Burndown Chart is a graphical representation of work remaining versus time in a Sprint or release, showing whether the team is on track to complete the planned work.
Relative Estimation
Relative Estimation is an agile technique where work items are sized in comparison to each other rather than in absolute units like hours or days, providing faster and more accurate estimates.
Sprint Review
The Sprint Review is a Scrum event held at the end of the Sprint where the Scrum Team presents the Increment to stakeholders, gathers feedback, and collaborates on what to do next.
Sprint Backlog
The Sprint Backlog is the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint, plus the Sprint Goal and the plan for delivering the Increment.
Timeboxing
Timeboxing is the practice of allocating a fixed, maximum amount of time for an activity, after which the activity stops regardless of whether it is complete.
Resource Leveling
Resource leveling is a resource optimization technique in which adjustments are made to the project schedule to keep resource usage at or below a defined limit, often resulting in a longer project duration.
Risk Register
The risk register is a project document that records the details of individual project risks, including their identification, analysis results, response plans, and current status.
Stakeholder Mapping
Stakeholder mapping is the visual representation of stakeholder relationships, influence, interest, or other attributes using grids, matrices, or diagrams to support analysis and engagement planning.
Cost Performance Index (CPI)
Cost Performance Index (CPI) is an EVM efficiency metric that measures cost performance as the ratio of earned value to actual cost: CPI = EV / AC.
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