The Relationship Between Scrum and Agile #

Scrum and Agile are often mentioned together, leading to some confusion about their relationship. Is Scrum a type of Agile? Is Scrum a superset of Agile? Or are they entirely distinct concepts? Understanding their connection requires looking at their origins, principles, and evolution over time. While both emphasize adaptability and iterative development, they serve different purposes and have unique characteristics. This article explores the distinctions and overlaps between Scrum and Agile to provide a clearer perspective on their roles in modern software, product development, and project management practices.

Is Scrum a Type of Agile? #

No, because:

Scrum existed before Agile. It was formally introduced in 1995, years before the Agile Manifesto was created in 2001.
Scrum was already in practice. Teams were using Scrum successfully even before Agile principles were formally defined. Scrum was already being practiced before the Agile Manifesto was even created.
Scrum extends beyond software development. Scrum has been successfully applied outside software development. Over the years Scrum has minimized references to software-specific practices, making it applicable to a wide range of industries.

Is Scrum a Superset of Agile? #

No, because:

Agile was formalized by a group of 17 software experts at the Snowbird Lodge in Utah, led by individuals like Martin Fowler. It was created within the context of software development, aiming to embrace change rather than controlling it with rigid change control processes and penalties.

Dave Thomas (co-author of the Agile Manifesto) says that “Agile” is an adjective, not a noun. We don’t “do agile” and “agile” is not a thing; rather, it refers to the principles outlined in the Manifesto for Agile Software Development. We’re “developing software”, and applying agility in our software development approach.

Is Scrum Distinct from Agile? #

Not entirely, because:

While Scrum is a high-level framework applicable beyond software development, it originated within the software industry. Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland were present at the Snowbird Lodge gathering and contributed to the formulation of the Agile Manifesto.

Both Scrum and Agile advocate for iterative and incremental development. Scrum, with its sprint-based approach, aligns with the Agile Manifesto by prioritizing flexibility, feedback-driven improvements, and adaptive planning.

How Do Scrum and Agile Overlap, and What Makes Them Unique? #

The Agile Manifesto was created as a set of common ideas and shared principles that reflected new thinking about software development. It addressed the shortcomings of the predominate approaches of that time.

It was written by and written primarily for a software developer audience, and wasn’t targeted specifically towards a project management audience to address project management concerns.

Agile promotes adaptive development, continuous feedback, and iterative delivery.

Scrum, on the other hand, was not designed specifically from a software development perspective but rather from a broader project management, product delivery, and team collaboration viewpoint. Over time, Scrum has evolved into a more general, inclusive framework that’s applicable across various industries and project types.

While the Agile Manifesto remains as it was originally published in 2001, and fundamentally about software development and delivery, Scrum has been adapted over the years for broader use in business and product development and project management beyond software development.

Conclusion #

Rather than saying “Scrum is an Agile framework,” maybe it’s more accurate and complete to say:

“Scrum is its own framework that happens to align with many of the principles described in the Manifesto for Agile Software Development. However, Scrum itself is not specifically about software development.”

Some professionals have extended Agile concepts beyond software development into broader organizational agility. For example:

Ken Schwaber and Scrum.org introduced Evidence-Based Management (EBM) to describe organizational agility.
The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) applies Agile principles at the enterprise level.

Although these frameworks are labeled as “Agile,” they differ in scope and context from the original Agile Manifesto. And not all of the original signatories of the manifesto would necessarily endorse linking the Manifesto for Agile Software Development with these organizational frameworks.

In summary: #

Some professionals specialize in the Scrum framework at the team level. Their expertise may or may not include software development, as it isn’t a requirement.

Others focus on applying Agile at the organizational level. Similarly, they may or may not have a background in software development.

And, professionals who claim to have expertise in the Agile principles outlined in the Manifesto for Agile Software Development should have some understanding of software development concepts and practices.