Is the full project value achieved at Scrum Project Completion, and how can we plan for maximum value? A Scrum Project can reside in a Programme or a Portfolio, just as Traditional Projects are organized. Where the main distinction lies is in the Project Planning. Scrum Projects focus on short-term goals, rather than a Project completion date.

A Traditional Project is typically prepared against a set completion date. Interim milestones are geared towards the Software Development Life-cycle. A Scrum Project is broken down into Iterations (the “Sprints”). While Sprints are Time-Boxed, the focus is on the amount of Work that can be Done. There is also a focus on the Value added throughout the Sprint. As each Sprint is completed, lessons learnt during the iteration can be applied to future sprints. This opportunity for improvement can start at the Planning meeting for the next iteration.

Project Completion: Preparation Mechanisms for Maximum Value

Task Planning for Scrum is conducted in two primary Planning Meetings:-.

• ‘The Release Planning Meeting’.
• ‘The Sprint Planning Meeting’.

All Scrum Meetings include some component of Planning. The following Meetings also add to the Project Planning Cycle:-.

-‘ Daily Stand-Up Meetings’.
-‘ Sprint Retrospectives’.
-‘ Sprint Review Meetings’.

The bulk of Meetings held consist of Scrum Team members only. There are also Meetings that require involvement of external Stakeholders. External stakeholders are required both to get their input to the Project Plan and to provide Deliverables to them.

Project Completion: Planning Roles for Maximum Value

A Project Manager produces the Project Plan in a conventional Project. Everybody in a Scrum project offers some input to the Project Plan as a Collaborative effort. The Scrum Project Plan goes through Changes and Refinements as the Project advances. It is accepted that the Plan is complete only for just the current Sprint. Future Sprints will be refined to some point. The primary role-players in Planning are:-.

The Scrum Product Owner prioritizes the contents of the Product Backlog. They effectively choose the order of Development of the Features and User Stories to be worked on in the current and subsequent Sprints. Each Sprint has a Sprint Backlog. The Sprint Backlog is a subset of the Product Backlog;. It includes tasks that are selected based on highest value.

A release might be prepared for the end of every Sprint, or after several Sprints. The Stakeholders get involved in Review Meetings. During this meeting the Sprint deliverables are assessed. Possible Changes are recognized for addition in the next Sprint (no Change Requests are considered throughout a Sprint).

The Agile Scrum Master plays a Facilitation Role, quite unlike the Role of Project Manager. They ensure that the required meetings are held and time-boxes them according to Scrum best practices.

The Scrum Development Team Plan what Work they are to do in the next Sprint. This is based on the Prioritized Product Backlog and their Sprint Velocity. Where the Sprint Velocity is the amount of Work expressed as a number of Points that can be accomplished in one Sprint. They own the short-range Planning. They each report on their next day’s Planned Work in the Daily Stand-up Meetings.

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Planning for Maximum Value at Project Completion

The Scrum Team can utilize the release dates to choose the perfect length of a Sprint. This Sprint length should ideally remain the same length for the duration of the project. This is to provide consistent sprint metrics for the entire of the project. These metrics can be used within the estimation of project tasks.

The Sprint Planning Meeting is the main Project Planning Ceremony. This meeting identifies the Work for the next Sprint. Each User Story picked for Development is broken down into Tasks within the meeting. These tasks are the basic currency of the Project, and are used to report on in the Daily Stand-up Meetings.

The very first Planning Meeting has many unknowns to handle. This includes the Velocity of the Team, the ideal length of a Sprint and whether the Work chosen for the first Sprint can be completed in the allocated time-frame. Subsequent Sprints will be fine-tuned based upon the results of the first Sprint.

Preparation During the Project

While Scrum might look like a free-for-all to the observer, it remains securely Managed by means of the fifteen minute Daily Stand-up Meeting. This is a short-term Planning Meeting, where a Review of yesterday’s Work and a Plan for the next day’s Work is given by each Team member. This ensures that the Sprint does not fall behind schedule.

The conclusion of a Sprint is followed by two Meetings, the Sprint Review, where Stakeholders are invited to hear and see what was Developed throughout the Sprint. Changes to the original Requirements can now be sent for inclusion in the next Sprint. There is also the Sprint Retrospective. A Team Meeting where the success of the Sprint is examined and lessons are learnt. These lessons can then be applied to the next Sprint, optimising processes and teamwork. As soon as these 2 Meetings have been held, the cycle can begin once again, with the next Sprint Planning Meeting.

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A Fluid and Agile Plan

The Acceptance by both the Team and Stakeholders that the Planning for a Scrum Project is short-range and subject to Change as the Project advances, makes Scrum planning adaptive. Project progress can be seen on the Scrum Board and Burn-down Charts for all to see. This keeps the Stakeholders and other Scrum Teams (in the case of a multiple Team Project) aware of where the Project is at any time, as well as where it is going.