Values from the Agile Manifesto

Scrum is the best-known of the Agile frameworks. It is the source of much of the thinking behind the values and principles of the Agile Manifesto, which form a common basis for all of these approaches.

The Agile Manifesto values apply directly to Scrum:

 • Individuals and interactions over processes and tools. Scrum, like all the Agile frameworks and methods, relies directly on trust in teams, the individuals in the teams, and the way they interact. Teams figure out what is to be done, teams figure out how to do it, and teams do it. Teams identify what's getting in their way, and they take the responsibility to resolve all the difficulties that are within its scope. Teams work with other parts of the organization to resolve the concerns that are outside their control. This is critical. Trying to do Scrum but undermining this primary focus on team responsibility will generally lead to trouble.

 • Working software over comprehensive documentation. Scrum requires a working, finished increment of the product as the primary result of every Sprint. Certainly there will be analysis work, design work, testing work, all of which may need to be documented. But it is the working software that allows the organization to guide the project to success. This is critical. Scrum teams must produce a product increment in every Sprint. 

• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation. The Scrum Product Owner is the Scrum Team's prime point of contact with the eventual end users of the product, and with the parts of the organization that need the product. The Product Owner is a member of the team and works collaboratively with the team to determine what needs to be done. In this collaboration, the Product Owner selects the most valuable next things to do, ensuring that the product has the highest possible value at every point in time. This is critical. The Product Owner needs to build a rich collaboration with their team.

 • Responding to change over following a plan. Everything about Scrum is designed to make sure that everyone has the information they need to make good decisions about the project. The project's progress is represented by a real, running, product increment. The backlog of things to be done is available for all to see. Progress, both overall and Sprint by Sprint, is clearly visible. Problems and concerns are discussed openly and dealt with immediately. This is critical. Scrum works well for teams that openly "inspect" what's going on and "adapt" their actions to the reality. It works poorly for those who do not.