Scrum is a popular and widely adopted agile framework that revolutionized the way software development projects are managed. At its core, Scrum is designed to enhance collaboration, flexibility, and responsiveness within development teams to deliver high-quality products efficiently.
This methodology operates on a structured yet adaptable approach, dividing the project timeline into time-bound iterations called “sprints.” Each sprint typically lasts from one to four weeks, during which a cross-functional team collaboratively works on a set of prioritized tasks. The team’s work is guided by the product backlog, a dynamic list of features, enhancements, and bug fixes maintained by the product owner. This backlog is continuously refined to ensure that the most valuable items are prioritized for development.
The three main roles are the product owner, scrum master, and development team. The product owner represents the stakeholders, defines and prioritizes backlog items, and provides clear requirements to the team. The scrum master serves as a facilitator, ensuring the team adheres to Scrum principles and helping to remove any obstacles hindering progress. The development team is self-organizing and cross-functional, responsible for delivering potentially shippable increments of the product at the end of each sprint.
Sprint planning marks the beginning of each iteration. During this event, the team selects backlog items to work on, estimates the effort required, and breaks them down into actionable tasks. Daily stand-up meetings are held to foster communication, where team members share their progress, discuss challenges, and plan their work for the day. The sprint concludes with a sprint review, during which the team demonstrates completed work to stakeholders, and a sprint retrospective, where the team reflects on the sprint process and identifies areas for improvement.
Scrum’s iterative and incremental nature allows for frequent inspections and adaptations. This means that feedback from stakeholders, as well as changing market conditions, can be integrated into the project’s direction at the end of each sprint. This adaptability makes Scrum particularly well-suited for industries with rapidly changing requirements, such as software development and game development.
In conclusion, this methodology offers a structured yet flexible approach to project management, promoting collaboration, adaptability, and continuous improvement. By emphasizing communication, transparency, and frequent deliveries, Scrum enables teams to create valuable products that meet evolving stakeholder needs and market dynamics.
Key Points of Scrum
Iterative and Incremental Development
Scrum follows an iterative approach, breaking the project into manageable chunks (sprints) to deliver incremental value with each iteration.
Cross-Functional Teams
Scrum teams are self-organizing and cross-functional, comprising members with diverse skills (developers, designers, testers, etc.) needed to deliver a complete product.
Sprints
The project is divided into time-boxed sprints, typically lasting 1 to 4 weeks. Each sprint delivers a potentially shippable increment of the product.
Product Backlog
The product backlog is a prioritized list of features, enhancements, and tasks, maintained and prioritized by the product owner based on business and user value.
Sprint Planning
At the start of each sprint, the team selects items from the product backlog to work on. They break down tasks and estimate effort during the sprint planning meeting.
Daily Stand-up Meetings
Short daily meetings ensure transparency and communication within the team. Team members discuss progress, challenges, and plan for the day.
Sprint Review
At the end of each sprint, the team showcases the completed work to stakeholders, inviting feedback and facilitating collaboration.
Sprint Retrospective
The team holds a retrospective meeting at the end of each sprint to reflect on the process and identify improvements for the next iteration.
Product Owner
The product owner represents stakeholders, defines product requirements, and prioritizes backlog items based on business value and user needs.
Scrum Master
The scrum master serves as a facilitator, removing obstacles, guiding the team in adhering to Scrum principles, and fostering a productive environment.
Time-Boxing
Scrum enforces fixed time limits for meetings (e.g., sprint planning, daily stand-ups, sprint review, and retrospective) to maintain focus and efficiency.
Adaptability
Scrum embraces change and allows for flexibility in responding to evolving requirements and feedback during the project.
Visibility and Transparency
Scrum emphasizes open communication, making progress, challenges, and impediments visible to the team and stakeholders.
Working Increment at the End of Each Sprint
Every sprint delivers a potentially shippable product increment, ensuring that valuable features are available early and often.
Empirical Process Control
Scrum relies on empiricism—knowledge based on experience and observation—to make decisions and improve over time.
Collaboration
Scrum fosters collaboration among team members, stakeholders, and different departments to ensure a holistic approach to development.
Focus on Value Delivery
Scrum prioritizes delivering features and enhancements that provide the most value to users and the business.
Continuous Improvement
The retrospective process encourages the team to regularly review and adapt their practices, leading to ongoing process enhancements.
These characteristics collectively contribute to Scrum’s effectiveness in managing projects with changing requirements, fostering collaboration, and delivering high-quality products in an iterative and responsive manner.
Scrum versus Agile
Scrum and Agile are related concepts, but they are not the same thing. Agile is a broader philosophy or set of principles, while Scrum is a specific framework that falls under the umbrella of Agile.
Agile
Philosophy
Agile is a mindset and set of guiding principles for software development. It emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, customer-centricity, and iterative progress.
Values
Agile is guided by the four core values outlined in the Agile Manifesto: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools, working software over comprehensive documentation, customer collaboration over contract negotiation, and responding to change over following a plan.
Principles
Agile also adheres to 12 principles outlined in the Agile Manifesto. These principles provide a foundation for Agile methodologies and practices.
- Customer Satisfaction through Early and Continuous Delivery
- Welcome Changing Requirements, Even Late in Development
- Deliver Working Software Frequently
- Collaboration between Business and Developers
- Build Projects around Motivated Individuals
- Face-to-Face Communication
- Working Software as the Primary Measure of Progress
- Sustainable Development Pace
- Continuous Attention to Technical Excellence and Good Design
- Simplicity
- Self-Organizing Teams
- Regular Reflection and Adaptation
Adaptability
Agile methodologies focus on being adaptive and responsive to changing requirements, allowing teams to deliver value incrementally and respond to feedback.
Methodologies
Agile includes various methodologies such as Scrum, Kanban, Extreme Programming (XP), and more. Each methodology interprets and implements Agile principles in a specific way.
Scrum
Scrum Framework
A specific Agile framework that provides a structured approach to software development, emphasizing iterative and incremental progress.
Scrum Roles
It defines specific roles: Product Owner (represents stakeholders and prioritizes the backlog), Scrum Master (facilitates the process and supports the team), and Development Team (cross-functional group responsible for delivering the product).
Scrum Artifacts
It introduces artifacts such as the Product Backlog (a prioritized list of features and tasks), Sprint Backlog (tasks selected for the current sprint), and Increment (the potentially shippable product increment created during a sprint).
Scrum Ceremonies
It includes predefined ceremonies like Sprint Planning (selecting and planning tasks for the sprint), Daily Stand-up (short daily progress meeting), Sprint Review (showcasing completed work to stakeholders), and Sprint Retrospective (reflecting on the sprint process and improvements).
Scrum Time-Boxed Iterations
It operates in time-boxed iterations called sprints, typically lasting 1 to 4 weeks. Each sprint produces a potentially shippable product increment.
Scrum Transparency
It emphasizes transparency in communication and progress. This includes regular meetings, visible artifacts, and clear roles and responsibilities.
In summary, Agile is a philosophy that focuses on flexibility, customer collaboration, and iterative progress, while Scrum is a specific Agile framework that provides structured roles, artifacts, ceremonies, and time-boxed iterations to implement Agile principles in a tangible way. Scrum is just one approach to practicing Agile, and different Agile methodologies offer varying ways to implement Agile principles based on specific project needs.
Using Scrum in Game Development
Game development teams often use Scrum as an agile framework to manage their projects effectively.
Product Backlog Creation and Refinement
The process starts with creating a product backlog, which is a dynamic list of features, mechanics, art assets, and other tasks needed for the game. The product owner, often a representative from the design or product management team, works closely with stakeholders to prioritize items in the backlog based on business goals and player needs. The backlog is continuously refined as new insights emerge or priorities change.
Sprint Planning
At the beginning of each sprint, the development team, product owner, and scrum master collaborate to plan the upcoming work. The team selects items from the product backlog to include in the sprint, considering their capacity and the expected duration of the sprint. They break down the selected items into smaller tasks and estimate the effort required.
Sprint Execution
During the sprint, the development team works on the tasks identified during the sprint planning. Daily stand-up meetings are held to provide quick updates on progress, discuss any roadblocks, and align the team’s efforts. The team focuses on completing the planned tasks within the sprint’s time frame.
Continuous Integration and Testing
As the development progresses, code and assets are continuously integrated into the game build. Automated testing and quality assurance procedures are implemented to identify and fix issues early in the development cycle.
Sprint Review
At the end of the sprint, the development team holds a sprint review meeting. They demonstrate the completed work to stakeholders, including the product owner, designers, and potentially other team members. This allows stakeholders to provide feedback and make adjustments based on what has been developed so far.
Sprint Retrospective
Following the sprint review, the team holds a sprint retrospective meeting. During this meeting, they reflect on the sprint process itself, discussing what went well, what could be improved, and any challenges encountered. The goal is to identify actionable improvements that can enhance the team’s efficiency and collaboration in the next sprint.
Incremental Releases
As each sprint concludes, the game evolves with the addition of new features, improvements, and bug fixes. This incremental approach allows the team to have a working version of the game at the end of each sprint, which can be tested, showcased to stakeholders, and even released to players in some cases.
Adaptation and Iteration
Scrum’s iterative nature enables the team to adapt to changing requirements, player feedback, and market trends. The product backlog is continuously updated and refined based on new insights, ensuring that the development team is always working on the most valuable tasks.
By following these steps, game development teams using Scrum can effectively manage their projects, maintain a high level of collaboration, and deliver a game that meets player expectations while staying responsive to the ever-evolving gaming landscape.
Using Scrum in a Hypothetical Mini Game
Let’s walk through the Scrum process for developing a hypothetical mini game. In this example, we’ll consider a simple puzzle game where players match colored tiles to complete levels.
Product Backlog Creation and Refinement
Create a product backlog containing features like tile mechanics, level design, UI elements, and sound effects.
Prioritize backlog items based on gameplay mechanics and visual design.
Sprint 1
Sprint Duration: 2 weeks
Sprint Planning:
Select backlog items for the first sprint, focusing on core gameplay mechanics and basic level design.
Break down tasks, such as designing tile interactions, creating tile graphics, and setting up basic game mechanics.
Estimate effort for each task.
Sprint Execution
Development team works on implementing tile interactions, creating tile graphics, and coding basic mechanics.
Daily stand-up meetings are held to discuss progress, challenges, and plan work for the day.
Sprint Review
Demonstrate the functional puzzle mechanics and initial level designs to stakeholders.
Gather feedback on gameplay feel and visual aesthetics.
Sprint Retrospective
Reflect on the first sprint’s process and collaboration.
Identify areas for improvement, such as communication tools or code sharing practices.
Incremental Releases
The game now has functional tile interactions and basic mechanics, making it partially playable.
Sprint 2
Sprint Duration: 2 weeks
Sprint Planning
Select backlog items for the second sprint, including refining level designs, adding UI elements, and implementing sound effects.
Break down tasks, like designing more challenging levels, creating UI screens, and integrating sound assets.
Estimate effort for each task.
Sprint Execution
Development team works on enhancing level designs, adding UI screens, and integrating sound effects.
Daily stand-up meetings continue to facilitate communication.
Sprint Review
Showcase the updated game with improved levels, UI elements, and sound effects to stakeholders.
Collect feedback on level difficulty, user interface, and audio immersion.
Sprint Retrospective
Reflect on the second sprint’s process and teamwork.
Implement improvements based on the team’s observations.
Incremental Releases
The game now features enhanced levels, polished UI, and immersive sound effects.
Sprint 3
Sprint Duration: 2 weeks
Sprint Planning
Select backlog items for the third sprint, focusing on further refining gameplay balance, testing, and bug fixing.
Break down tasks, such as playtesting different devices, balancing difficulty, and addressing reported bugs.
Estimate effort for each task.
Sprint Execution
Development team works on playtesting, refining difficulty curves, addressing bugs, and ensuring compatibility across devices.
Daily stand-up meetings continue to maintain communication.
Sprint Review
Present the refined and polished game with balanced gameplay, thorough testing, and bug fixes to stakeholders.
Gather final feedback and address any remaining concerns.
Sprint Retrospective
Reflect on the third sprint’s process and quality assurance efforts.
Make note of lessons learned for future projects.
Final Release
The mini game is ready for release, meeting the gameplay, design, and quality goals set during the development process.
Throughout the Scrum process for this hypothetical mini game, the development team and stakeholders iteratively collaborate to refine the game’s mechanics, visuals, and overall experience. This incremental approach allows the game to evolve based on feedback and insights gained at each stage of development.
Using Scrum as a Solo Game Developer
While Scrum is often associated with team-based projects, it can also be adapted and utilized by solo game developers to improve their workflow, organization, and overall project management.
Product Backlog Creation
Create a product backlog that outlines all the features, mechanics, assets, and tasks needed for the game.
Prioritize backlog items based on their importance and impact on gameplay.
Sprint Planning (Personalized)
Set a sprint duration that suits your working pace, such as one to two weeks.
Select a small subset of backlog items that you can realistically complete within the sprint duration.
Sprint Execution
Work on the chosen backlog items during the sprint.
Break down tasks for each item and focus on completing them incrementally.
Daily Stand-up (Self-Reflection)
Use a daily self-reflection practice to review your progress, challenges, and plans for the day.
Identify any obstacles you encountered and find ways to overcome them.
Sprint Review (Self-Reflection and Demo)
At the end of each sprint, review what you’ve accomplished and reflect on the work you’ve completed.
Demo your progress by playing through the new features or mechanics you’ve implemented.
Sprint Retrospective (Self-Improvement)
Reflect on the sprint’s process, your productivity, and the quality of your work.
Identify ways to improve your development practices, tools, or time management.
Incremental Releases (Personal Playtests)
Release playable builds of your game at the end of each sprint to gather feedback and playtest it yourself.
Use this feedback to make iterative improvements in subsequent sprints.
Adaptation and Iteration (Personal Evolution)
Continuously adapt your product backlog based on your evolving ideas, player feedback, and changing priorities.
Adjust the focus of your sprints to align with your project’s current needs.
Collaboration with Stakeholders (User Feedback)
If possible, share your work with friends, family, or online communities for feedback and insights.
Incorporate valuable suggestions into your backlog and prioritize them as needed.
Time Management and Planning (Personal Discipline)
Dedicate specific time slots for development, planning, and review within each sprint.
Set realistic goals for each sprint based on your available time and capacity.
Documentation and Tracking (Personal Accountability)
Keep track of your progress, tasks completed, and any issues encountered during each sprint.
Document your decisions, design choices, and changes made throughout the development process.
While using Scrum as a solo game developer, you’re essentially adapting the framework to suit your individual needs. The key is to embrace the core principles of iterative development, prioritization, reflection, and continuous improvement to ensure that your game progresses effectively while maintaining a manageable workload.
Game Genres Well-Suited for Scrum
Scrum can be effectively applied to a wide range of game genres, but some genres align particularly well with its iterative and collaborative principles. Here are a few game genres that are well-suited for Scrum.
Casual and Mobile Games
Casual and mobile games often involve simple mechanics, short play sessions, and frequent updates. Scrum’s iterative approach allows developers to release smaller, polished increments of the game at regular intervals, keeping players engaged and responding to their feedback quickly.
Puzzle and Strategy Games
Games that require careful balancing, level design, and mechanics refinement can benefit from Scrum’s iterative nature. Frequent playtesting, adjusting difficulty curves, and refining game mechanics align well with Scrum’s cycles.
Roguelike and Procedurally Generated Games
These games involve procedural content generation, leading to complex gameplay dynamics. Scrum’s incremental development allows for refining procedural algorithms, testing various gameplay scenarios, and enhancing replayability.
Indie and Small-Scale Projects
Smaller development teams, often found in indie game development, can benefit from Scrum’s emphasis on clear communication, frequent feedback, and incremental progress. It helps these teams manage scope and deliver polished features consistently.
Online Multiplayer Games
Online multiplayer games often require constant updates, balancing, and feature additions to keep the player community engaged. Scrum allows for quick responses to player feedback and the implementation of new content in regular sprints.
Game Jams and Rapid Prototyping
Scrum’s short development cycles make it a great fit for game jams and rapid prototyping. The framework encourages creating a minimal viable product (MVP) quickly and iterating on it based on immediate feedback.
Live Service Games
Games with ongoing live services, such as MMOs or online shooters, can benefit from Scrum’s ability to handle frequent updates, bug fixes, and content additions while maintaining a consistent development pace.
Educational and Serious Games
These games often require careful alignment with educational goals or specific objectives. Scrum’s iterative approach allows developers to iteratively refine the game’s educational aspects based on user testing and feedback.
Narrative-driven Games
Even though narrative games involve complex storytelling, Scrum can be used to develop and refine gameplay mechanics, UI/UX elements, and supporting systems while integrating narrative content in iterations.
It’s important to note that while Scrum can be adapted to various game genres, each project is unique. The choice of using Scrum should be based on the project’s goals, team size, and the specific development needs of the genre. Ultimately, Scrum’s emphasis on collaboration, iterative development, and adapting to feedback can benefit a wide range of game genres.
Game Genres Not Well-Suited for Scrum
While Scrum can be applied to a broad range of game genres, there are some genres that might present challenges when using this framework due to their unique characteristics. Here are a few examples of game genres that might be less well-suited for Scrum.
Open World and Sandbox Games
Open world and sandbox games often involve vast, interconnected systems, expansive environments, and emergent gameplay. The complexity of these games can make it difficult to define discrete backlog items and time-bound sprints. Development challenges, such as maintaining a coherent world and addressing unexpected interactions, can also be harder to fit within Scrum’s fixed iteration cycles.
Large Scale Simulation Games
Simulation games with intricate economic, social, or environmental systems might require extensive time for systems to evolve and produce meaningful results. These games often involve a deep level of complexity that can be challenging to manage within Scrum’s time-boxed sprints.
AAA Action Adventure Games
High-end action-adventure games with cinematic narratives and cutting-edge graphics might involve lengthy asset creation and complex storyboarding. The fixed duration of Scrum sprints might limit the time available for creating highly polished content.
Rhythm and Music Games
These games rely heavily on precise timing and synchronized mechanics. The iterative nature of Scrum might not align well with the need for fine-tuning gameplay and rhythm elements to achieve the desired player experience.
Artistic and Experimental Games
Games that focus on unique art styles, experimental gameplay, or unconventional narratives may not adhere easily to Scrum’s structured approach. The creative process in such games might require more flexible development cycles.
Real-Time Strategy (RTS) Games
RTS games often require intricate balancing of units, complex AI behaviors, and sophisticated gameplay mechanics. The constant need for adjustment and fine-tuning can make it challenging to adhere to fixed sprint timelines.
Turn-Based Strategy Games (TBS)
TBS games may involve extensive AI development and intricate strategy mechanics. The iterative nature of Scrum might not provide enough time for deeply strategic AI systems to evolve within short sprints.
Experimental Gameplay Concepts
If you’re exploring innovative gameplay concepts that don’t yet have defined mechanics or clear goals, Scrum’s structured approach might not align well. More flexible prototyping methods could be more suitable.
It’s worth noting that while certain game genres might present challenges when using Scrum, it doesn’t mean that Scrum is entirely incompatible with them. Instead, it might require adaptations and modifications to the Scrum framework to accommodate the unique requirements and characteristics of the genre. Ultimately, the decision to use Scrum or another development methodology should be based on the specific needs of the project and the preferences of the development team.
Before You Commit to Scrum
Before a team commits to using the Scrum methodology, there are several important questions they should consider ensuring that Scrum is the right fit for their project and team dynamics.
What Are Our Project Goals and Objectives?
Define the overarching goals and objectives of the project. Understanding the project’s purpose and desired outcomes will help determine whether Scrum aligns with these goals.
Is Scrum Suitable for Our Project Scope?
Assess whether Scrum’s iterative and incremental approach is suitable for your project’s scope and complexity. Consider factors such as the size of the team, the nature of the work, and the overall project timeline.
Do We Have Cross-Functional Team Members for Scrum?
This methodology relies on cross-functional teams with diverse skill sets. Determine if your team has members who can cover development, design, testing, and other required roles.
Are Stakeholders Supportive of Scrum Practices?
Gauge the support and willingness of stakeholders to engage in Agile practices. This includes regular reviews and involvement in the development process.
Do We Have a Product Owner?
Identify a dedicated product owner who can represent stakeholder interests, prioritize the backlog, and provide clear requirements.
Do We Have a Scrum Master?
Determine if there’s a designated Scrum master who can facilitate the Scrum process, remove obstacles, and ensure that the team adheres to Scrum principles.
What Is Our Development Team’s Size?
Consider the size of your development team. Scrum is designed for small to medium-sized teams, typically between 3 to 9 members.
Can We Commit to Regular Iterations?
Scrum involves working in fixed time-boxed iterations (sprints). Ensure your team can commit to these iterations and deliver valuable increments of the product.
Are We Willing to Embrace Continuous Improvement?
Agile methodologies, including Scrum, emphasize adapting to change and continuous improvement. Assess whether your team is open to learning and evolving their practices.
Can We Create and Maintain a Product Backlog?
Evaluate if you can create and maintain a prioritized product backlog that outlines features, enhancements, and tasks for the project.
Can We Allocate Time for Scrum Ceremonies?
This methodology ceremonies, such as sprint planning, daily stand-ups, sprint review, and sprint retrospective, require time and commitment. Ensure your team can allocate time for these activities.
Are We Ready to Collaborate and Communicate?
Effective communication and collaboration are crucial in Scrum. Determine if your team is willing to engage in transparent communication and share progress regularly.
Do We Have the Right Tools for Scrum?
Consider whether you have the necessary tools and software to support Scrum practices, such as backlog management, task tracking, and communication platforms.
Are We Willing to Accept Agile Mindset Shifts?
Agile methodologies require a shift in mindset towards flexibility, adaptability, and embracing change. Assess if your team is ready to embrace these principles.
Do We Have a Clear Definition of Done?
Define what “done” means for your team. Having a clear understanding of what constitutes a completed task or feature is essential for successful sprint outcomes.
Addressing these questions can help your team make an informed decision about adopting Scrum Agile and whether it aligns with your project’s needs and team dynamics.
Conclusion
Benefits
Iterative Development
Scrum’s iterative approach allows for regular delivery of working increments, enabling teams to receive feedback early and often. This promotes continuous improvement and ensures that the project aligns with evolving requirements.
Flexibility and Adaptability
Scrum embraces change and allows teams to adapt to shifting priorities, market conditions, and user feedback. This makes it well-suited for industries with rapidly changing environments.
Collaborative Culture
Scrum fosters a culture of collaboration and communication among team members and stakeholders. This leads to increased transparency, better decision-making, and a shared sense of ownership.
Focus on User Value
Scrum prioritizes delivering features that provide the most value to users and stakeholders. This leads to a product that aligns closely with user needs, enhancing customer satisfaction.
Continuous Improvement
Scrum’s retrospective process encourages teams to regularly reflect on their processes and outcomes, identifying areas for improvement. This commitment to self-assessment drives ongoing growth and efficiency.
Challenges of Scrum
Learning Curve
Transitioning to Scrum can be challenging, especially for teams unfamiliar with Agile methodologies. Learning the terminology, roles, and ceremonies can take time and effort.
Strict Time-Boxing
Scrum enforces fixed time-boxed sprints, which might not be suitable for projects with unpredictable or highly variable workloads. This could lead to pressure to deliver incomplete work to meet sprint deadlines.
Overemphasis on Communication
While communication is a strength of Scrum, excessive meetings and discussions can lead to inefficiencies and hinder productivity if not managed well.
Lack of Detailed Planning
Scrum’s focus on short-term planning might lead to incomplete long-term planning, especially for projects that require extensive upfront design or architecture.
Dependency on Team Cohesion
Scrum’s success depends on the team’s ability to self-organize and collaborate effectively. If team members lack synergy or don’t fully embrace Scrum principles, it can lead to suboptimal results.
It’s important to note that the positives and negatives of Scrum can vary based on the context of the project, the team’s experience, and the organization’s goals. Teams should carefully consider these factors and decide whether Scrum is the right fit for their specific needs.
Read more about Agile Methodology in general here.
For a deeper discussion on Agile Methodology, visit the Agile Alliance website.