Successful completion of any project includes professional development, and to-do lists at various levels. There is a part everyone plays to make sure the best work is showcased, and the target is achieved with flying colours. This process has multiple aspects, such as a dynamic team, tools, measurements, and so on. But one of the crucial roles is played by project managers. Project managers fulfil the part of executing daily tasks and make decisions that enlighten the entire map, resulting in reaching the destination. Their duties also include methodologies that are used to create effective plans and manage the risks that come along the way.
Now, that you are aware of their role in the project, these professionals use project management methodologies to carry out the necessary tasks and build an reactive environment to finish the project within the given deadline. Two major approaches in this domain are Agile and Scrum. These two distinct topics are used vividly to make sure the project runs smoothly and achieves its defined goals.
Agile is a type of software development method, while Scrum is a subset of Agile project management framework. While their similarities are strong, they are often confused with one another. But not anymore, in this blog post we will cover both the of frameworks ideal points and figure out their unique key features and structural viewpoints on when should one be used to generate the best results. By the end of this blog, we promise you a clearer view of making a choice for your current project methodology.
What is Agile?
First things first, before we are discussing the vital points of the difference between these two let’s learn what is Agile.
In management terms Agile is a project management philosophy and framework. Big giants in the industry like Google and Facebook use these methodologies to carry out successful projects and utilize their resources to the optimum level. Agile is a group of methodologies that are used with the purpose of reaching the goal with quality work and hassle-free process of carrying out the given tasks with the assigned teams.
The primary objective of this methodology is to embrace change and adapt to the continuously converting environment while keeping everyone on the right and on the same track of delivering the assigned tasks. Agile project management methodology is an extended umbrella of different methods under its pursuit. To be precise, there are several other methods that are part of it, like Scrum, Crystal, Kanban, Lean, Extreme Programming (XP), Feature Driven Programming (FDD), Lean, Adaptive Framework, and Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM).
What is Scrum?
Scrum is a specific Agile framework, that works with the guidelines of building an scrum environment where one has continuous development, effective planning and essential core understanding of the project while focusing on executing the results hence gaining the ultimate objective.
Prioritizing this framework, each meeting enables the team members to clarify the goals and work on them piece by piece to accomplish the bigger picture. It is like a puzzle; there are several executions at smaller levels, and the tasks are broken down into smaller versions for finer controls. There are several roles in the team while carrying out the scrum. Taking the key roles into consideration, there are three main roles: Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Development Team. Ideally, all the members of the team are given specific tasks with a detailed overview of deadlines. This helps them to be innovative and focused. Taking its framework into consideration and its continuous improvement in the process of filtering information and working on tasks in smaller bits helps the team stay focused and keep an open mind to elevate problems and risks at its initial stage.
Agile vs Scrum: Who tops the list?
Agile and Scrum both are designed in their own ways to accomplish best results. As much as Agile focuses on following a certain procedure to configure the task Scrum tends to be an lighter option for managing and controlling teams. Keeping both of their properties in mind let’s dissect their key differences and understand them better.
Process: The Dynamic Path to Accomplish Goals
Agile and Scrum both are a terrific choice for carrying out tasks and completing projects on time, but their ways to coordinate and complete the given tasks slightly differ. While Agile uses a hostile and balanced process to analyse and contemplate the situation at the same time Scrum uses a much diverse and constantly changing environment to deal with risks and analysing much needed changes.
| Agile Process | Scrum Process |
| 1. Concept 2. Inception 3. Iteration and Construction 4. Release 5. Production 6. Retirement | 1. Daily Scrum 2. Sprint 3. Sprint Planning 4. Meeting 5. Sprint Review 6. Sprint Retrospective |
Approach: Working Through Structures
Agile is a project methodology whose nature is philosophy. On the other hand, Scrum’s nature is a framework. In comparison, Agile focuses on completing projects by sub-setting them into smaller pieces and continuously scheduling work frames that allow the team to understand and manage the given work with quality. Scrum, in this case, has a slightly different approach. It majorly lets the team learn and gain experience from the project and contributes to its major belief in self-management. With this approach, the team has more room to experiment and find new opportunities while in the process.
Team: The Pillar of the Projects
An Agile team is a magnificent set of professionals who are experts in a directed domain that mostly contains 10 or fewer people. These individuals are self-directed and are further assigned the given tasks that are aimed at satisfying consumer needs and accepting feedback from clients. Being a member of this team gives you the freedom to make decisions and a cross-functional group. Keeping the dynamic nature of the team in mind, one learns significantly and becomes more confident in executing work and completing deadlines.
With Scrum framework the task is assigned and is re-evaluated on sprints hence having teams of smaller portions who are dedicated to deliver. This team has few members but, it consists of individuals who are well trained and are able to complete the assigned work in sprints. They have three main roles, product owner, scrum master and development team. Thus, Scrum is more defined in terms of roles and controlling the core of the project with assigned individuals.
Structure
As we discussed above Agile consists of individuals who are expert in their domain and have experience in meeting the results. This plays a major role in defining the structure of Agile. Given the nature of the methodology, it has a flat structure where professionals are self-directed and are able to make decisions by themselves.
Simultaneously if we compare Scrum’s framework, it consists of assigned individuals who are operating from the position of leading the team and the entire process goes through five scrum events.
Delivery: The Final Step
Agile has a dynamic approach to final deliverables. With its iterative development and consumer collaboration, an agile mindset is primarily focused on learning and executing with smaller steps while elevating at every step. It deals majorly with understanding the process and needs of the clientele and, with their constant feedback, making improvements in the process. Hence, the outcome of this approach also comes out according to the response that results in smaller pieces of product rather than all at once.
While Scrum delivery result early in the project. Defining the procedure of working with a team that has scrum mindset makes sure in the beginning that they provide value-driven results by meeting the requirements that adds value to their clientele. With there structure they are able to provide high profile outcomes while working on estimating risk factors from the start through product backlog.
Agile Vs. Scrum: What’s the Final Take?
Agile in all together has a broader philosophy of delivering the results by taking core values into consideration. It’s principles and significantly detailed structure deeply admires changing with response and creating results while learning.
On the other side Scrum is more systematic and is a part of the broader philosophy of Agile. It’s a framework to keep individuals on track with group and work in sprints by delivering as a whole.
Keeping the difference in mind, there are several factors that one needs to consider before choosing their powerhouse for the project. Some of these factors are complexity, changing environment, team’s maturity and culture, market, risk tolerance, and result delivery. Considering these factors can help one match their prominent choice and can further help them achieve their defined goals.
