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    If ya don't like scrum, don't do it!
    blog entry posted 3/13/08 by Ashwin
    2998 Views, 4 Comments
    title:
    If ya don't like scrum, don't do it!
    entry:
    I must confess that I have learned the hard way that scrum may not be suited for or welcomed by everyone. I, as the scrum master, have already sat through two retrospectives which basically turned out to be a platform for playing the blame game.

    I can't go in to the details, but based on a request from my boss, I had to work with an unconvinced (about scrum) and non-involved product owner who botched up the majority of effort (I say majority since there were other issues too, but none as big as the one stated).

    Since it was 'his' project, I couldn't give him the boot given that I was a consultant scrum master for this team. So, at the end of the second sprint (this team is still in trials and they didn't meet the done definition in both sprints), I have come to accept that some people simply cannot adapt to the mindset needed to work inside the scrum framework.

    I have decided not to recommend another sprint for this team and that its better for them to continue to work the 'control-tower' way with the product owner in charge.

    So, do you folks think I took the right decision?

    Comments

    • posted 4/1/08 by Chris.Spagnuolo
      Ashwin, I think I'd give them a chance to "ease" into scrum.  It's hard to force the fit.  See the recent interview with Ryan Martens for his opinions of easing groups into agile and scrum or a post on my personal blog about the same topic.  Really, it's all about baby steps and getting everyone into a rhythm.  "Done" may not happen right off the bat.  Keep trying.  It's worth being persisten.  And along the lines of persistence, here's a favorite quote of mine from Seth Godin to keep you going:

      "Persistence isn't using the same tactics over and over. That's just annoying. Persistence is having the same goal over and over."
    • posted 4/2/08 by Ashwin
      Chris, thanks for your comment. I have read the quote from Seth already and loved it.
    • posted 4/15/08 by Nick Oostvogels
      Ashwin,

      It is indeed a major step, a team has to take, moving from traditional project approaches to the 'scrum approach'.
      In my current project, it took four sprints to get everybody convinced.  Some team members who already knew the keypoints of scrum, were easier convinced than others who had never heard of it. 
      I believe that people who have seen projects go wrong in the past (and who hasn't ...), can immediately see the benefits.
      As I look back at my own person, I got truly convinced of Scrum after following the Certified Scrum Master course.
      So training your team members can make a difference.
      Of course, some characters don't fit well into the scrum practices.  You have to be a team player, not afraid to stand up and communicate.  But a person can grow and once they see the light, they love it.
      I sure do
    • posted 4/22/08 by Henric Johansson
      It's my experience too, that it often takes a while to get everybody on board. I also think that sometimes the Scrum community (what ever that is) tend to get a little too evangelic. I find that it really helps not to talk too much about "this new wonderful methodology" (which in truth it is not) and instead just focus on getting things done -- deliver frequently, constantly evaluate and improve.