Introduction & Using the Guide

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, Troubleshooting Scrum is a satirical guide to helping Scrummers quick-fix their problems that they see in the day-to-day use of Scrum.

Why so satirical?  The entire concept of fixing Scrum is misguided to begin with.  Scrum is a proven framework for dealing with the ever-changing landscape of product development.  So, fixing the problems that Scrum Teams are having is almost never as easy as giving a simple procedural change.  Therefore, the answers given in this guide are satirical, just because they are provided as solutions.

The Scrum framework has adaptation built into it, unlike traditional project management.  So traditional project management may be thought of as a trampoline, where every action upon an object has an equal and opposite reaction.  You land on the trampoline, it bows, then it launches you skyward.  Now think of Scrum as a pool of water.  You jump in and the water splashes you, and the water level rises.  You are still where you were when you landed, and you are probably the one reacting, because now your trousers are all wet.  Did you jump in just because I told you to?  Silly Scrummer.

Experienced Scrummers know that it’s not the Scrum that needs to be fixed.  Your biggest problems are, and always will be Culture and Organizational Impediments.  Scrum just helps you find those problems.  As long as you don’t break your Scrum, that is.

Somewhere in this guide, if you look closely enough, I’ll provide some helpful ways to actually fix your Cultural and Organizational Impediments.  Until you find them, enjoy the satire here-in.  I had fun putting this together.  I hope you have fun reading it.

Please be kind and include fair attribution to this site, if you share its contents with others.  Thanks!

I have recently added Page MVP tags to each page.  The tags are below.  The green circle with a checkmark means that MVP for this page has been reached.  The red circle with an X means that this page’s MVP still has not been reached.  Thank you for all of your comments and suggestions.  Please know that once MVP has been reached on a certain page, I may not revisit it for a while.  Probably not until all pages have met MVP.