Scrum.org and Scrum Inc have announced that Scrum co-creators Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland have made updates to the Scrum Guide, the body of knowledge of Scrum. These are the first updates to the Scrum Guide since July 2016.
The changes, which were determined through community feedback and voting via the Scrum Guide User Voice website, were announced by Schwaber and Sutherland in a webcast earlier today. An emphasis on flexibility regarding application of the Scrum framework, clarity to overcome misconceptions associated with Scrum and better understanding of inspection and adaptation are some of the major changes Scrum practitioners will find in the updated version of the guide.
“As new technologies and practices have evolved over time, a misconception that Scrum is rigid has arisen and these changes will resolve that,” said Schwaber. “Scrum is truly an empirical process that is not prescriptive and is adaptable by the teams using it. You’ll no longer find the words ‘there are no exceptions’ in this guide and with that comes the clarity that many releases can occur during a Sprint. We look forward to how the community will embrace this update.”
While updates are made at the discretion of Schwaber and Sutherland, recommendations and feedback from the community who are implementing these practices every day with organizations around the world are integral to the advancement of Scrum and fuel these periodic updates. “First and foremost, we want to thank our extended team of Scrum practitioners, who offer valuable insight into the day-to-day implementation of The Scrum Guide,” says Sutherland. “Without their input, the Scrum Guide would not be the living document that it is. Scrum continues to evolve in its use in delivering value to any industry.”
The Scrum Guide can be found at http://www.scrumguides.org/
