Companies using Scrum for development

[thunderlizard]

I couldn't imagine pair programming day after day. If nothing else who gets to choose what you look at on the web during those little time out sessions?

You still get a computer each - it's just that 1 of the pair spends most of the day not at it. It would be a rare and disciplined XP-shop that didn't want you popping off to check your emails every hour or so.

[MrGrunge]

Too often
scrum.equals(scrunge).

[SueEllen]

My last couple of places have been using the same 'agile-lite'. It does seem to be a nice little buzz word. I've also had to dabble with paired programming, which can be a bit of a mixed bag. There are a fair number of IT bods that aren't the most interactive of types. I couldn't imagine pair programming day after day. If nothing else who gets to choose what you look at on the web during those little time out sessions?

You don't you both go for coffee, or one of you hops of to the toilet leaving the other in front of the computer.

Agile of any form is a pain when the client refuses to interact because they are in a** covering mode.

[swamp]

Lots of companies use agile. Many places however are not very good at it, for one reason or another, and are really just using 'agile' or 'SCRUM' as another meaningless buzzword.

[The_Equalizer]

I have used "Agile-lite" on a couple of projects (half-hearted implementations) so am no expert.

Just about to start a gig managing (testing of) three streams where one is using "Agile".

At the interview they spouted all the buzzwords but when I asked about business involvement in the testing (a key requirement from my understanding) there was a momentary blank stare followed by some bluster. Hey ho....

My last couple of places have been using the same 'agile-lite'. It does seem to be a nice little buzz word. I've also had to dabble with paired programming, which can be a bit of a mixed bag. There are a fair number of IT bods that aren't the most interactive of types. I couldn't imagine pair programming day after day. If nothing else who gets to choose what you look at on the web during those little time out sessions?

[SupremeSpod]

My current project is moving towards an agile environment.

I'm leaving so wish them the very best of luck.

[gadgetman]

I have used "Agile-lite" on a couple of projects (half-hearted implementations) so am no expert.

Just about to start a gig managing (testing of) three streams where one is using "Agile".

At the interview they spouted all the buzzwords but when I asked about business involvement in the testing (a key requirement from my understanding) there was a momentary blank stare followed by some bluster. Hey ho....

[d000hg]

Not this again. We've already got a thread for discussing the merits of Agile... this one isn't asking the same question.

Most of the places I've worked have been more traditional. The ones I act as technical lead on I don't even know what to call it. We take some things like Scrum meetings and close customer involvement have tried to work on short iterations but it's more a hybrid approach.

[MrGrunge]

See lots of SCRUM - full of Agile zealots who blame the rest of the business for not doing it the (fr)agile way when the zealots are fresh out of uni and know it all? Another acronym for agile is DAFT - design after first testing, or CRAP constant refactoring after programming.

There is an element of truth in this. CRAP - this is the better version. Sometimes see BAR - Bog All Refactoring.

[configman]

See lots of SCRUM - full of Agile zealots who blame the rest of the business for not doing it the (fr)agile way when the zealots are fresh out of uni and know it all? Another acronym for agile is DAFT - design after first testing, or CRAP constant refactoring after programming.

[oliverson]

My last couple of contracts have featured SCRUM.

The big problem here is that organisations recognise they need to develop software in a more agile manner yet everything they know is waterfall. Sprints don't lend themselves well to MS Project plans and therein lies the problem. You can end up with a really non-agile variation of SCRUM such as 'define 5 sprints upfront'. Yuck.

For SCRUM to be a success you need total buy-in from the client. I've been lucky enough to work on a project where this was the case but even then it was problematic though this was due to 'first SCRUM project' syndrome and a first-timer SCRUM Master.

I'm a big fan of SCRUM. I'd rather find out from the business that my understanding of their requirements is wrong after a few weeks instead of a few months. I'm sure the business would as well!

There's a fantastic free PDF on the web about SCRUM. It's called 'SCRUM and XP from the Trenches'. Great and informative reading though I don't buy into XP and pair-programming personally.

[oversteer]

Tesco definitely did about two years ago.

[nomadd]

Does anyone know of any companies that use contractors for software development that use Scrum. By this I mean having some or all of the following:

- a product owner
- a product backlog
- developers estimating in points
- sprint reviews
- 2-ish week sprints and demonstrations at the end of each sprint
- buy-in from management

I know a lot of companies stretch the truth a little when they say they are doing agile development, so I'd appreciate any information people can share here.

Yep, had one who worked that way. Project was a shambles. Glad to be out of it.

Fine for projects in production and just needing bug fixes. Useless for any Enterprise scale development. (And no, I'm not interested in getting in a debate over this with the Scrum zealots/trolls... )

[thunderlizard]

Yes, I've had a couple of clients that fit that profile pretty well. The only bit of Scrum that nearly all corporates conveniently ignore is the Scrum Master role - i.e. that he's explicitly not a manager and is supposed to act as if he's lower in the pecking order than the team.

[wonderboy]

Does anyone know of any companies that use contractors for software development that use Scrum. By this I mean having some or all of the following:

- a product owner
- a product backlog
- developers estimating in points
- sprint reviews
- 2-ish week sprints and demonstrations at the end of each sprint
- buy-in from management

I know a lot of companies stretch the truth a little when they say they are doing agile development, so I'd appreciate any information people can share here.