How does the adaptive control model work in Scrum?
The product development environment has evolved a lot thanks to methodologies such as Scrum. This methodology teaches us to be more adaptive and agile, allowing us to better respond to market needs and changes. A fundamental aspect of Scrum is how it implements an adaptive control model at the product level, which is based on three principles: transparency, inspection and adaptation.
What is transparency in the context of Scrum?
Transparency in Scrum refers to making all relevant information visible and accessible so that everyone in the organization can make informed decisions. Scrum uses two main artifacts to ensure this transparency:
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Product Backlog: this is a living document that lists all the potential features that the product could have. It must be transparent and accessible to all to avoid bad information isolation practices.
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Product Increment: this is reviewed in the Sprint Review and shows what has been achieved during the Sprint. This increment makes visible the real and tangible progress in the product development.
How is inspection carried out in Scrum?
Inspection refers to the exhaustive analysis of information, in order to then make informed decisions. The Sprint Review is the key event for this process. But it is important to note that:
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It should not be used as a bureaucratic control mechanism where statistics are presented, but as an opportunity to inspect the actual Product Increment, where stakeholders will be able to interact directly with the product.
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Direct interaction with the product during the Sprint Review allows customers and users to provide valuable feedback, which is fundamental to the inspection process.
How is adaptation implemented in Scrum?
Adaptation is the final step after feedback is obtained and analyzed. Adaptation decisions are mainly made during Sprint Planning, based on the information obtained from customer interaction. Adaptation involves:
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Feedback Analysis: both direct feedback (what the customer comments) and indirect feedback (observations of unexpected behavior, such as erroneous clicks).
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Corrective Actions: product modifications based on feedback. These may be changes to the interface to improve the user experience or to the product's instructions for use.
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Action Planning: during Sprint Planning, the information gathered is transformed into practical actions that are planned to be implemented in the next Sprint to add more value to the product.
The focus on transparency, inspection and adaptation allows the product to evolve under complex and uncertain contexts, making Scrum a powerful and effective methodology. We encourage students and professionals to apply these principles in their teams and projects to foster more dynamic and innovative product development.
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