Scrum Master

5 Key Benefits of Scrum in Agile Software Development

Scrum is a well-known and widely used agile methodology. It is so popular that many people think “Agile” and “Scrum” are the same thing. But just to be clear, Agile is a mindset, while Scrum presents a framework for getting the required work done. Scrum helps teams to adapt to varying conditions and client requirements, along with re-prioritizing processes and undergoing short release cycles for continuous learning and improvement.

Scrum encourages the environment of collaboration and lets the teams handle complex project environments efficiently. To emphasize more on the value Scrum brings to a software development project, here we are listing down the 5 key benefits of Scrum:

1. Top-Notch Product Quality

The requirements from customers and stakeholders are ever-changing, so teams have to be well-prepared to address the changing needs timely and efficiently. Scrum is a rescuer in this type of situation, as the Sprint Reviews help customers and stakeholders to ensure that the project is headed in the way they wanted. If there are any changes to be done, then the team can easily address those changes timely because the project is still in the development phase.

With an average 2-weeks cycle for each sprint, the Scrum framework allows teams to show the update on the product to the customers and stakeholders after every 2 weeks (or a month). In short, the continuous feedback from the customers during the development phase helps teams to deliver the best quality products.

2. Better Communication and Reduced Risk

Scrum makes software development projects well controlled and managed because everyone in the team knows their responsibility and what to achieve in the given time frame. So, from Scrum Master and developers to stakeholders and customers, everyone knows what they have to contribute in order to achieve the targeted goal in the given timebox. In addition, the daily communication and collaboration among teams reduce the chances of any unknown issue to pop up.

In Scrum, the cycle times are usually between two weeks or a month. In case, a team is facing an issue, they can communicate it with the stakeholders and customers much quickly and then re-prioritize their efforts around it. Sprint Reviews help a team to tackle issues timely and ensure customer satisfaction.

3. Faster Return on Investment (ROI)

In the software market, you can get a faster ROI if you offer a high-quality product to the customers in a short development period. Scrum allows teams to first work on key offerings of the product that customers actually want and then work on the additional features. In every Sprint, they can take in the feedback from the stakeholders and customers and then orient the next Sprint accordingly. This way, they can launch a better-quality product in a much faster time frame.

Let’s understand the concept of faster ROI with Scrum using an example. Consider that you are developing a pizza delivery software from where customers can access all the pizza shops available in a city from one app. You are planning to cover at least 4-5 cities with this software. Scrum methodology allows you to gradually release your software and get continuous feedback from the customer. For example, in the first few Sprints, you targeted one city and developed the software accordingly. So, you will let the customers test the software and get feedback. It will also help you know whether the people are even interested in your software or not. This way, you can gradually build the software per city, increase the customer base, and start generating revenue earlier.

4. Faster Projects and Improved Customer Satisfaction

Scrum framework makes projects completion much faster, as the feedback from customers during the development phase makes changes much easier and timely. This way, there only remains no or negligible issues to tackle during the product release period.

Other than faster project completion, you also get better customer satisfaction. After every Sprint, customers get a chance to try the product and give feedback. So, the product is shaping itself as per the expectation of the customers. In addition, the continuous engagement of customers makes them more involved with the product and the developing team. In short, Scrum ensures faster and quality products and enhanced customer satisfaction.

5. Motivated Teams

Just like the satisfaction of customers and stakeholders is crucial for any project, so is the motivation level of teams. With Scrum, every member of a team knows his/her role and what the team expects from him/her in the current Sprint. This makes team members remain focused and productive.

After every Sprint, the team gets to evaluate what they have achieved, while the feedback from customers also makes them get a sense of progress. After a few Sprints, the team starts to see the rewarding results of their efforts, which further enhance with motivation and dedication to the project.

Wrapping Up

Considering the tough market competition, changing customer demands, and the need for a faster go-to-market approach, the Scrum framework is a must-have for agile teams. But a software firm can only take full advantage of Scrum when it sets up the right team and work environment. Once you have the right team and skill Scrum Master, then the team is in a better position to deal with challenges and deliver timely and best quality products.