[2021 UPDATE] Downloadable Agile Principles & Scrum Tip Sheet

Back in June 2017, we released the first version of our Agile and Scrum Tip Sheet as a free download. Since then, we’ve updated it a few times and have improved the look and usability. The most recent version was this one published in April 2020.

When the revised Scrum Guide was published in 2020, I reviewed the Guide but I did not make any changes to our Agile and Scrum Tip Sheet. The 2020 Scrum Guide revisions to me seem to be more about brevity and clarity and I didn’t think they impacted the tip sheet.

Thankfully a vigilant reader reported that the 2020 Scrum Guide changes warranted changes to our tip sheet – otherwise it would be “worthless”. Yikes!

So I went back to the 2020 Scrum Guide and reviewed it with a careful eye. Our tip sheet is not all-inclusive and it was never intended to be. How can you put every relevant detail about agile and Scrum on one page? At best the tip sheet is a one page summary. But there were definitely some changes that we needed to incorporate. Here are the highlights:

• Use the term Developers vs. Development Team
• Scrum Team description more clear that there is one Product Owner and one Scrum Master
• Scrum Master description more clear
• Added the Sprint as an event
• Removed Backlog Refinement as an event (it was never technically an event though many people treat it as such)

Contents of the Agile and Scrum Tip Sheet

The revised tip sheet is attached – I hope you find it helpful. It includes the following:

The 4 Agile Values

The 12 Agile Principles

While the Agile Values are great, we feel like the Agile Principles are where the rubber hits the road, so to speak. We actually encourage our training classes to commit the Agile Principles to memory as well as to use them to guide their thinking and behavior.

Note that we took some editorial license and modernized the language of the principles by substituting “valuable solutions” for “valuable software”.

1. Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable solutions.
2. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer’s competitive advantage.
3. Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale.
4. Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
5. Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need,  and trust them to get the job done.
6. The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.
7. Working software is the primary measure of progress.
8. Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
9. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.
10. Simplicity–the art of maximizing the amount of work not done–is essential.
11. The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.
12. At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.

Including the 2020 Scrum Guide in the Agile and Scrum Tip Sheet

Summary of the 4 Scrum Roles:

Prior to the 2020 Scrum Guide update, we only listed 3 Scrum Roles. Now we have added the Scrum Team as a distinct role that includes the other 3 Scrum Roles. And we changed from “Development Team” to Developers.

• SCRUM TEAM – The Scrum Team is 10 or fewer people including one Product Owner, one Scrum Master and Developers.
• PRODUCT OWNER – A single decision-maker who is responsible for prioritizing the backlog and maximizing the value delivered by the Scrum Team.
• DEVELOPERS – Cross-functional team of 3-9 people who plan, adapt and hold each other accountable to deliver a usable increment each sprint.
• SCRUM MASTER – Servant Leader, coach & trainer who supports the Scrum Team, Product Owner and Org to adopt Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide.

Summary of the 5 Events in the Scrum Framework

Previous to 2020,  we took some editorial license in calling Backlog Refinement an Event. The 2020 Scrum Guide has limited mention of backlog refinement to an activity so we have removed that from Events.

One other change we made is the description of the Sprint as an Event. We may have ignored the language previously but the current Scrum Guide is clear that the Sprint is treated as an Event that contains all the other Scrum Events.

We also tweaked the description of Sprint Planning to include WHY in addition to WHAT and HOW.

• The Sprint – A timebox of one month or less which contains all the other Scrum Events.
• Sprint Planning – Sprint Planning addresses the questions of WHY, WHAT and HOW and results in a Sprint Backlog which is a plan for the upcoming Sprint.
• Daily Scrum – The Daily Scrum is a short meeting for the Developers to synch their efforts, assess progress toward their sprint goal, and plan for the day ahead.
• Sprint Review – The Sprint Review is an inspection of the output of the sprint. It allows the team to demonstrate their progress, showcase the product and get feedback.
• Sprint Retrospective – The Retrospective is an event where the Development Team meets to discuss how to improve their process to make it more effective and enjoyable.

Download Your Agile and Scrum Tip Sheet Now

Download this handy, beautiful and print-ready PDF. Teams that are new to Agile and Scrum have found this one pager helpful as a reference to improve how they work together.