If you're an employer who is looking to implement change, gain efficiencies, or digitally transform the business, then a Business Analyst would be employed to help manage the process. Or, if you’re looking to progress your career in this area, you may know that Scrum is an essential part of your workflow. But what do you really know about it?
Many people view Scrum as just a set of rules or guidelines to follow, but there is so much more to it than that. In order to be successful with Scrum, you need to understand what it is, the challenges, and how it can be applied in the working world.
What is Scrum and what are the benefits of using a Scrum Master approach?
Business Analysts have long been responsible for bridging the gap between IT and the business, but the role has become increasingly complex in recent years. Businesses are under pressure to do more with less, and IT departments are under pressure to deliver value faster. This has led to a need for a new approach to project management, one that can adapt to change quickly.
Agile and Scrum are two terms that are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. Agile is a set of frameworks, methods, and practices based on the values and principles expressed in the Agile Manifesto. Agile enables organisations to master continuous change by adopting an iterative and incremental approach to the development of products and services. Other features of Agile are the focus on collaboration between team members and customers, feedback loops to evolve the solution, and delivery of value to the customer early and frequently. Scrum is an Agile framework for the development of products. It contains guidelines that help teams stay organised and efficient.
Scrum is a framework for managing work that is characterised by sprints, rapid feedback, and constant adaptation. The benefits of Scrum include improved communication, increased transparency, and better collaboration. Business analysts working in an agile environment, especially if Scrum is the framework adopted by the organisation, will benefit from a better understanding of Agile and Scrum and can use this knowledge to their advantage. This will allow them to support the implementation of projects and the delivery of value to the business.
Different responsibilities of the Scrum Team
Product owner
This role is responsible for building and managing the product backlog, which is where one finds the requirements that need to be delivered by the project. Those requirements are generally called backlog items, or user stories, and are prioritised by the product owner to best achieve the project’s, and the organisation’s, goals and missions. A Business Analyst can take on the role of the product owner.
Scrum Master
They are responsible for ensuring that the product owner and development team stay within the Scrum framework, coaching them and the business on the Scrum process. They are also problem solvers, making sure that everyone can focus on their work without any distractions.
The development team
This team is responsible for taking on and determining how to deliver the work. They estimate the backlog items and forecast how much work they believe they can complete over the sprint. A business analyst can also be part of a development team.
Those who are new to Scrum may find themselves feeling overwhelmed by the process. After all, Scrum is a major departure from traditional project management methodologies. However, there are a few tips that can help make the transition smoother.
Scrum teams consist of a Scrum Master, a product owner and a development team. It's important to remember that Scrum teams are self-organising and self-managing. As a Scrum Master, your role is to facilitate the team's work, and not to micromanage every aspect of the project. As well as this, Scrum relies on transparency and collaboration, so make sure everyone in your team is on the same page.
As a Business Analyst or Scrum Master, don't be afraid to experiment. Scrum is flexible, so if something isn't working, try something else.
Challenges that can arise during Scrum development
While Scrum development can be a difficult and important process, there’s no surprise that a few challenges may occur.
Managing changes in scope
Even if Scrum welcomes change, if those changes are not well-managed and well-communicated, this can cause confusion to the development team. Knowledge of requirements engineering and the Scrum framework should support these changes.
Conflict between Agile and Waterfall ways of working
Even if the Scrum Team is well knowledgeable about the framework, occasionally, senior management may rely more on more traditional ways of doing project management.
Lack of agile training
If stakeholders struggle to understand the steps of the Scrum process, they may be unable to achieve their goals and deliver value to the organisation.
However, the challenges listed can be tackled by having skilled business analysts in the team. Business analysts play a pivotal role in Scrum development. However, they often lack the technical skills needed to fully understand the complex system architectures that are being developed. As a result, they would usually benefit from training programmes to gain the necessary skills.
The future of business analysts
Organisations need to implement change effectively and efficiently, especially now that they are either working in agile ways or looking to align themselves with agile approaches. By receiving formal training, a business analyst will be in a better position to work in complex environments and help organisations overcome the challenges they may face.
The future of business analysts is very bright and there are many opportunities for those who are willing to invest in their careers. A Business Analyst apprenticeship is a great way to get started in the field while learning the concepts, tools, techniques, and technologies needed to excel in the industry.
Want to know more?
So, what is Scrum? Simply put, it is an agile framework for the development of products which helps teams be more productive and efficient. The benefits of using a Scrum Master approach are vast.
If you're an employer wanting to upskill your workforce, or a prospective learner wanting to advance your career in this industry, the Business Analyst Level 4 Apprenticeship is the best place to start - it might just give you what you need to excel!