## **Learning Outcomes**

After reading this article, you will be able to describe the Scrum framework within agile project management. You will understand the primary Scrum roles, key Scrum events (such as sprints, daily scrums, sprint reviews, and retrospectives), and core Scrum artifacts. You will be able to distinguish Scrum from other delivery approaches, recognize how Scrum supports value delivery, and apply this knowledge when faced with PMP scenario questions about agile or hybrid projects.

## **PMP Syllabus**

For PMP, you are required to understand the following syllabus topics relating to agile project management, focusing on Scrum:

- Define and explain the Scrum framework as an agile delivery approach.
- Identify and describe the three key Scrum roles: Product Owner, Scrum Facilitator, and Development Team.
- Outline the main Scrum events (Sprint, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Retrospective).
- Distinguish Scrum artifacts: Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Increment/Definition of Done.
- Compare Scrum to predictive and hybrid approaches for project delivery.
- Recognize exam-relevant principles such as team empowerment, servant leadership, and continuous improvement.
- Apply knowledge of Scrum practices to PMP-style exam scenarios and case studies.

## **Test Your Knowledge**

_Attempt these questions before reading this article. If you find some difficult or cannot remember the answers, remember to look more closely at that area during your revision._

1. In the Scrum framework, who is responsible for prioritizing and maintaining the product backlog?  
   a) Scrum Facilitator  
   b) Product Owner  
   c) Team Lead  
   d) Sponsor

2. Which of the following is **not** considered a core Scrum event?  
   a) Sprint Review  
   b) Sprint Retrospective  
   c) Release Planning  
   d) Daily Scrum

3. What is the main purpose of the daily scrum in Scrum?  
   a) Assign tasks for the week  
   b) Report progress to the Product Owner  
   c) Inspect work and adjust the plan for the next 24 hours  
   d) Approve completed backlog items

## **Introduction**

Agile methods offer an adaptive approach to delivering project outcomes in contexts where requirements often change or are not fully known up front. Scrum, as the most widely adopted agile framework, uses short, fixed-length cycles ("sprints") for frequent product delivery and learning. This article explains how Scrum structures project work, the roles required, and the events and artifacts that define Scrum. It also highlights what PMP candidates need to know to answer exam questions on agile delivery, especially using Scrum or hybrid approaches.

### What is Scrum?

Scrum is an agile project management framework that structures development through fixed-length, timeboxed cycles called "sprints." Each sprint typically lasts 1–4 weeks and results in a potentially releasable product increment. Scrum emphasizes prioritizing business value, cross-functional teamwork, transparency, and frequent stakeholder feedback.

> **Key Term: Scrum**  
> A lightweight agile framework, based on empirical process control and iterative delivery, that manages work using defined roles, events, and artifacts to enable frequent value delivery and adaptation.

### Scrum Roles: The Scrum Team

Scrum defines three core roles, together known as the Scrum team:

- **Product Owner**: Holds responsibility for maximizing value and conveying the needs of stakeholders by maintaining and ordering the product backlog.
- **Scrum Facilitator**: Serves the team as a process leader, facilitator, and impediment remover. The Scrum Facilitator promotes servant leadership and supports the team's understanding and proper use of Scrum.
- **Development Team**: Usually 3–9 professionals who are collectively responsible for completing the sprint backlog. The team is cross-functional and self-organizing.

> **Key Term: Product Owner**  
> The Scrum team member responsible for defining and prioritizing the product backlog to maximize value and represent stakeholder interests.
>
> **Key Term: Scrum Facilitator**  
> The Scrum team member who facilitates Scrum events, removes impediments, and ensures understanding and correct application of Scrum within the team and organization.
>
> **Key Term: Development Team**  
> Cross-functional group responsible for building, testing, and delivering increments of the product in each sprint. The team is self-organizing and jointly accountable.

### Scrum Events

Scrum uses specific timeboxed events (ceremonies) to structure the work and integrate feedback:

#### Sprint

The core, repeating cycle in Scrum. Lasting 1–4 weeks, a sprint delivers a usable product increment.

#### Sprint Planning

At the start of each sprint, the whole team meets to define the sprint goal, select items from the product backlog, and plan how work will be accomplished. The Product Owner brings prioritized backlog items (user stories); the Development Team sizes and commits to the amount of work it can deliver.

#### Daily Scrum (Daily Standup)

A 15-minute team meeting, at the same time and place daily, in which team members inspect work and plan for the next 24 hours. The focus is on progress toward the sprint goal, upcoming work, and identification of any impediments.

#### Sprint Review

Held at the end of each sprint, the team demonstrates the completed increment to stakeholders and collects feedback for future backlog refinement. The Product Owner determines if items meet the "Definition of Done" and are accepted.

#### Sprint Retrospective

The team meets just after the sprint review to reflect on the sprint process, discuss what went well and what could be improved, and agree on actionable improvements for the next sprint.

> **Key Term: Sprint**  
> A fixed-length development cycle (usually 1 to 4 weeks) in Scrum, which results in a potentially shippable product increment.
>
> **Key Term: Daily Scrum**  
> A short, daily event in Scrum where team members synchronize work, inspect progress, and plan the next 24 hours.

### Scrum Artifacts

There are three primary artifacts in Scrum:

#### Product Backlog

An ordered list of all desired product features, changes, fixes, and technical work. Owned and prioritized by the Product Owner. Entries are refined and detailed progressively as more is learned.

#### Sprint Backlog

A list of backlog items selected for the sprint, plus the plan for delivering them. The Development Team selects items it believes it can complete in one sprint.

#### Increment

The sum of all completed product backlog items at the end of a sprint. Each increment must meet the team's Definition of Done—meaning it is potentially shippable and conforms to quality standards.

> **Key Term: Product Backlog**  
> The ordered list of all work items (features, fixes, enhancements) needed for the product. Continuously refined by the Product Owner.
>
> **Key Term: Sprint Backlog**  
> A visible list of product backlog items selected for the current sprint, together with a plan for delivering them. Managed by the Development Team.
>
> **Key Term: Increment**  
> The working product produced at the end of the sprint; must meet the Definition of Done and be ready for use or deployment.
>
> **Key Term: Definition of Done (DoD)**  
> A shared checklist of requirements that a backlog item must satisfy to be considered complete by the Scrum team.

### **Worked Example 1.1**

**Scenario**: A digital payments company is launching a new mobile app. The Product Owner provides a product backlog of user stories such as "register new account," "link payment card," "send payment," and "view transaction history." The Scrum team selects "register new account" and "send payment" for the first 2-week sprint. During sprint planning, the team estimates both stories can fit based on capacity. They complete and demo both at the Sprint Review, and the Product Owner accepts them per the Definition of Done.

> **Answer:** This illustrates how Scrum teams plan and commit to just enough work for a sprint, ensuring delivery of a usable increment. By focusing on prioritized backlog items, the team ensures value delivery and rapid feedback.

### Value Delivery with Scrum

Scrum enables frequent delivery of usable product increments and incorporates regular stakeholder feedback to adjust to changing priorities. The Product Owner maintains tight alignment to business value by continuously refining the backlog and communicating the customer's needs. Timeboxing and regular ceremonies enforce discipline around scope and continuous improvement.

> **Key Term: Empirical Process Control**  
> A process based on continuous inspection and adaptation. Scrum uses transparency, inspection, and adaptation to guide work and improve results.
>
> **Key Term: Servant Leadership**  
> A leadership philosophy where the leader (often the Scrum Facilitator) supports the team by removing obstacles and enabling high performance.

### **Worked Example 1.2**

**Scenario**: A web development team using Scrum works in 3-week sprints. A stakeholder requests a new feature mid-sprint. The Product Owner adds it to the product backlog, but the Development Team does not begin work on it until the next sprint, following the agreed cadence.

> **Answer:** Scrum teams do not add scope to an ongoing sprint. Any new requirement is recorded in the product backlog and prioritized by the Product Owner for future sprints. This preserves focus and predictability.

### **Exam Warning**

> Scrum exam questions often present scenarios in which a stakeholder, sponsor, or team member wants to change the committed sprint backlog mid-sprint. Remember: Scrum teams must maintain the integrity of sprint scope. New requests should be added to the product backlog and included in the next sprint planning—not inserted into the current sprint.

### Scaling Scrum and Hybrid Approaches

Large organizations may coordinate multiple Scrum teams using scaled agile frameworks (e.g., Scrum of Scrums, SAFe, LeSS). In hybrid projects, elements of Scrum may be integrated with predictive project management methods for portions of the work with changing requirements.

### **Worked Example 1.3**

**Question**: How should a Scrum team handle unfinished items at the end of a sprint?

> **Answer:** Unfinished work is returned to the product backlog by the Product Owner, reprioritized, and selected for a future sprint as appropriate.

### **Revision Tip**

> Focus on the roles and responsibilities within Scrum. For the exam, know who owns the product backlog (Product Owner), who facilitates events (Scrum Facilitator), and who is accountable for delivery (Development Team).

## **Summary**

- Scrum is an agile framework using timeboxed sprints to deliver frequent, valuable increments.
- Core roles: Product Owner, Scrum Facilitator, Development Team.
- Major artifacts: Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Increment (Definition of Done).
- Key events: Sprint, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective.
- Scrum relies on team self-organization, transparency, and continuous improvement to deliver business value and respond to change.

## **Key Point Checklist**

_This article has covered the following key knowledge points:_

- Scrum is a lightweight agile framework focused on delivering value through iterative cycles ("sprints").
- The three core roles are Product Owner, Scrum Facilitator, and Development Team.
- Product Owner manages and prioritizes the product backlog based on business value.
- Scrum Facilitator acts as servant leader, supporting the process and removing team impediments.
- Development Team is cross-functional and self-organizing, delivering the sprint backlog.
- Key Scrum artifacts: Product Backlog (all required work), Sprint Backlog (work for current sprint), Increment (potentially shippable product).
- Key Scrum events: Sprint, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective.
- Definition of Done is the shared checklist for completed work.
- Scrum emphasizes transparency, inspection, and adaptation throughout the process.
- Exam questions may require distinguishing Scrum from predictive and hybrid approaches.

## **Key Terms and Concepts**

- Scrum
- Product Owner
- Scrum Facilitator
- Development Team
- Sprint
- Daily Scrum
- Product Backlog
- Sprint Backlog
- Increment
- Definition of Done (DoD)
- Empirical Process Control
- Servant Leadership


Agile project management - Scrum framework