July 24, 2019 by wendy

What Business Owners Need to Know About Scrum Agile Implementation

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Did you realize that 70 percent of the organizations and small businesses in the United States use Agile methodologies in some form? For most business owners, adopting these methodologies is mostly about increasing efficiency and the quality of their products. While Agile is used by tons of software development companies, the principles that make up this methodology can be applied to a number of different industries.

Choosing the right way to implement Agile is something most business owners struggle with. Scrum is a set of practices that can be used during Agile project management. In short, Scrum puts a priority on communication and carrying out projects in short phases.

Are you looking for tips on how to implement Scrum Agile for your business? If so, check out the information below.

Creating Your Scrum Backlog is the First Order of Business

The main thing you need to do when implementing scrum Agile is to make a list of all of the tasks you and your team need to accomplish. In Scrum circles, this is referred to as your backlog. Without a clearly defined list of tasks and goals, you will struggle to get off of the ground with this new methodology.

Instead of leaving tasks in large chunks, work on breaking them down into finer points. Since Scrum is all about completing short cycles of work for the greater good, this break down will be helpful later on.

Developing a Task Board

Once you have a list of the tasks you need to accomplish, putting them in a place where all team members can see them is a must. This board should feature tasks that need to be completed within a two-week time span. Scrum aficionados refer to this time frame as either an iteration or a sprint.

Your main goal with these sprints or iterations should be creating a sense of urgency. The team you put together should be focused on nothing else besides completing the tasks in the allotted time frame. The task board you put together should present a map of each iteration so team members see what will be expected of them. Leaving no stone unturned during this mapping out process can help you avoid project management disasters.

Assigning Sprints to Various Team Members

Assigning ownership of different Scrum sprints to various team members is a great way to motivate them into action. If a person realizes they are solely responsible for completing a task, they will be more apt to work harder to ensure they don’t disappoint.

Before you begin assigning sprints, take a step back to consider which assignments fit a team member’s skill set. By assigning projects based on a person’s skills, you can avoid getting too far out of their wheelhouse and overwhelming them. As a business owner, you should be pretty familiar with the strengths and weaknesses your team has. Using this knowledge is essential when attempting to make sprint assignments correctly.

A key component to ensure success throughout the progression of a project is providing your team with the right tools. For instance, if the project you are working on is geared towards software developing, investing in error log aggregation tools is vital. With these tools, your team can keep track of error messages and fix the problems causing them in a timely manner. You can learn more about Log aggregation tool with a bit of online research.

Ongoing Communication is Essential

One of the biggest mistakes most business owners make when implementing Scrum Agile is forgetting about communication. Throughout the progression of a particular project, you need to communicate with team members on a daily basis. The purpose of this communication is to update employees on changes in the project or to hear about any questions or concerns they may have.

Without constant communication, vital parts of the Scrum sprints you assigned will get forgotten about. While communicating this much may take some getting used to, it is definitely worth the effort invested.

Don’t Rush This Implementation

Some business owners think that Scrum Agile implementation will be an easy and fast process. In reality, this process will take time, which is why you and your team need to be patient.