Scrum for Startups– A startup is a business or company that is working to develop its name and create products or services with a unique value proposition in the market. The main focus of a startup is to introduce the product or service that is the most demanding in the target market. Startups enter into markets that are dynamic, fast-paced, highly competitive and are continuously growing. This makes it difficult for them to play catch-up in the market. For this reason, they have to use the latest technologies and have to develop effective strategies before entering the market. Scrum is one of the widely used technology among startups to manage and accelerate their business operations.
What is Scrum?
Scrum is an active methodology that helps startups to easily and efficiently manage their business, company, and organization. The software was established in 2001 by Agile Manifesto and it is also known as the ‘agile model.’ The main focus of the software is to build strong communication between the teams in startups and enable them to work on constant value delivery and ensure fast and speedy execution of business operations.
Scrum can be used in every single part of the business, even in legal or financial departments. Scrum is an easy-to-use framework designed to be used by teams that are self-reliant and are a multi-functional unit of developing and releasing unique products and services. The framework usually comprises of a collaborative between 5 to 9 people. There are three primary roles in a scrum team:
- Product owner
- Scrum Master
- Scrum Team
Scrum for Startups– Product Owner
The Product Owner (PO) is the person who has the knowledge and understanding of the target market and their demands regarding the product or service. PO directs the team in the right direction by managing and prioritizing the product requirements demanded by the target market. The PO handles the relationship between the product and the investment of time, resources, and energy that the business is incurring. The PO guides the team in achieving maximum return on investment. There can be more than one Product Owner in a team. The Product Owners can also change the course of the accumulation according to the latest market study.
Product Owner Responsibilities:
- Demonstrate the vision of the product
- Prioritize the interest of the business
- Study the market for product or service demand
- Set the exact target market
- Develop unique value proposition and create acceptance for the product in the target market
- Assist the team and answer the questions
Scrum for Startups– Scrum Master
The Scrum Master works as a business coach and manages time. He is also the master of scrum software. He maximizes teamwork by systematically getting rid of the obstacles and motivating the team to work more efficiently and quickly. The scrum master also supervises the daily start-up routine by asking the team members the following questions:
- What work was done yesterday?
- What are the tasks for today?
- What interrupts and slows down the work process?
In this way, the scrum master helps the team in better self-organizing, maintaining performance, improving decision making and increasing team unity. The Scrum Master’s aim is to build a high-performance team. He creates a situation in which all the members work as a team and focus on one objective.
Scrum for Startups– Scrum Master Responsibilities:
- Being a business coach for the team
- Efficiently solve the hurdles faced by the team
- Facilitate various parts of Scrum
Scrum for Startups– Team Member
Team Members decide how to execute the work, what tools and techniques should be used and how to use resources. Team Members are multi-functional individuals with all the relevant skills to develop high-performing products for the businesses and target market.
Scrum for Startups– Team Member Responsibilities:
- Multi-tasking and self-organized and work as a team to complete the task on time
- Use target market requirements to great unique production proposition
- Estimates the investment time and required resources
Scrum members use the following essential tools to create unique products and to increase transparency and develop effective communication.
Scrum for Startups– Product Backlog
The product backlog is a complete list of all the variables that will be used to develop the product. The Product Owner prioritizes the backlog for the team to work on the most important feature or value of the product first.
Sprint Backlog
Sprint Backlog is similar to Product Backlog. It contains all the variables needed to develop a product and then arranges the activities with a set time period. A Sprint Backlog can be as short as one week or as long as one month. Usually, the Team Members prioritize the sprint log activities per week.
Burn Chart
The Burn Chart demonstrates the relationship between work and time. The burn chart also reveals work the team is left with, in relation to the time left to complete the project. If the team is working efficiently the chart will show a decreasing line, all the way to the x-axis.
Task Board
The task board showcases the team dynamics. It usually consists of four columns:
- To-Do
- In Progress
- Testing
- Completed
Using the task board, all the team members know what work is done or by whom, and what is remaining, and who is working on what. This also reveals how efficiently the team is working and the owner can easily re-level the resources as required.
Scrum up Your Startup
Scrum is a powerful organization management tool that can help companies quickly and effectively deploy their products. Using scrum, organizations improve their performance, efficiency, effectiveness, and team development.
