Exploring Scrum: The Fundamentals - Softcover

Rawsthorne, Dan; Shimp, Doug

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1461160286 ISBN 13: 9781461160281

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2011

Synopsis

BEST BOOK ON MODERN SCRUM

New Price!

This is the best book about Modern Scrum that you will find anywhere!

This is the Second Edition of the book, and it has been updated to include the latest, and greatest, information about Scrum, and is compliant with the Scrum Guide.

Scrum is the world's most popular Agile Development Framework, and it has been changing constantly since its discovery in 1995. Over the years, Scrum users have found what does (and does not) actually work, and the Scrum Framework has changed to keep up (part of Scrum's own inspect and adapt process). The rate of change has slowed down over time and, as of late 2013, there is hope that Scrum has stabilized. This book presents that stabilized version of Scrum, along with discussions of why and how it got that way.

Dan and Doug wrote this book in order to help people with their implementations of Scrum, and to make sure they have the most current understanding of Scrum to work with. They have found that many of the ideas found in older versions of Scrum are not only out-of-date, but harmful.

Both Dan and Doug have trained and coached thousands of people, most of whom are already using Scrum. In spite of the fact that they have read about Scrum, have been trained or coached in Scrum, and are using Scrum, their most common complaint is that they need help to do it 'right'. Dan and Doug have found that many (if not most) of them need some help.

This book is for them and others like them.

This book is not an introductory text. Dan and Doug assume that those who read this book know, or think they know, something about Scrum. This book takes a deep, exploratory, look into the Scrum framework (as it has changed over time), and offers advice about how to think about it, and how to use it. Some of this advice is philosophical, some is pragmatic, and all of it is practical.

Dan and Doug are brutally consistent and true to the essence of Scrum. This book is not the result of an academic exercise; every suggestion or conclusion in this book is grounded in real-life issues they have encountered, and suggestions that they have made for teams and people they have coached or trained.

About this title

About the Author

Dan Rawsthorne has developed software in an agile way since 1983. He has worked in many different domains, from e-commerce to military avionics. He has a PhD in Mathematics (number theory), is a retired Army Officer, and a Professional Bowler and Coach. Dan is very active in the Agile/Scrum community and speaks quite often at conferences and seminars. He is a transformation agent, coaching Organizations to become more successful through agility. His non-software background has helped him immeasurably in his coaching: his formal training in mathematics guides him to look for underlying problems rather than focus on surface symptoms; his military background helps him understand the importance of teamwork and empowerment; and his work with bowlers has helped him understand that coaching is a two-way street. 
Doug Shimp has worked in the technology field since 1992 and has played many key roles on software teams, including Coder, Tester, Analyst, Team Leader, Manager, Coach, and Consultant. Doug's passion is for team learning to improve product development, and he is a leader in the area of agile/Scrum transitions and applied practices. He believes that the core basis for applied agility is that 'You must see the result for it to be real; otherwise it is all just theory...' Much of his experience with teamwork and agility comes from outside the software field, including an earlier career as an owner/manager of a painting company - which enabled him to learn about small-team dynamics in a very hands-on way.

Review

"If you are starting out, Dan and Doug can help you. If you are struggling along the way, they can help you even more. And if you are already great, Dan and Doug can help you be greater."
- Jeff Sutherland, co-developer of Scrum, original signatory of Agile Manifesto

"When you fnish this book, you'll have an understanding of how to put Scrum into practice in almost every situation you may encounter... Dan and Doug have written the best Scrum book I have seen. Read it, heed it, and prosper."
- Ron Jeffries, first XP coach, original signatory of Agile Manifesto

"Dan and Doug bring crystal clarity to why things are the way they are in Scrum - why certain practices work and others do not."
- Jeff McKenna, the world's first ScrumMaster

"Dan and Doug have given you a gift. They have written a book where you can get Scrum right... that is easy to read, understandable, and can help you see where you might go off course."
- Johanna Rothman, Management Guru and Author

"This book is a step beyond the basics... I know you will enjoy this book - it's like an extended fireside chat with Dan."
- Linda Rising, PhD, COO of the Hillside Group

Edition details

• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1461160286
• ISBN 13: 9781461160281
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 378