Agile Scrum Methodology for Mobile Apps

Scrum Introduction

Scrum is the most commonly used agile framework for mobile development. Scrum uses “flexible”  strategy where customer has more transparency on the current  progress  of the project and customer can even change the project execution plan in the middle of the project according to the business values which is not possible with traditional/sequential approach. Scrum makes progress in a series of sprints which are time boxed for a month or less than a month. At the end of the every sprint, a sprint review is conducted during which the team demonstrates the new functionality to the product Owner, stakeholders and to the customer.

Scrum framework provides “Change Anytime Strategy” so still you can be a leader in your domain as your mobile app might provide latest technology and because of few other reasons.

Scrum Roles

Product Owner

The Product Owner is responsible for managing the Product Backlog, writing user stories and is the voice of the customer. Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product and work of development team. Product owner ensures that Product Backlog is visible to all and confirms what Scrum team will do in the next sprint.

Development Team

Development team is responsible for delivering a potentially releasable “Increment of Done Product” at the end of each sprint. The work done by Development team is self organizing, cross functional (analyses, design, develop, test, technical communication, document, etc.).

Scrum Master

Scrum Master is responsible for ensuring that Scrum is understood bythe entire team and for removing any hurdles which might affect sprint goal/deadlines. Scrum Master helps in coaching  agility to the Product Owner and to the development team.

Scrum Meetings

Sprint Planning Meeting

Sprint Planning Meeting is time boxed to eight hours for one month sprint  and the meeting duration should be shorter for the shorter sprint. In the meeting we discuss what work to be done in this sprint and how we can get this work done.

Daily Standup Meeting

Daily Standup Meeting is timeboxed to 15-20 mins for the Development team to create a plan for the next 24 hours. During this meeting each Development team member explains :

1. What did I do yesterday?
2. What will I do today?
3. What are the blockers in my way?

Sprint Review Meeting

Sprint Review Meeting is time boxed to 4 hours for one month sprint and meeting duration should be shorter for the shorter sprint. During this meeting the Scrum Team and stakeholders collaborate about what was “Done” and what has not been done in sprint. The result of Sprint Review Meeting defines the items we should add in the next sprint from the Product Backlog.

Sprint Retrospective Meeting

Sprint Retrospective Meeting is time boxed to 3 hours for one month sprint and should be shorter for the shorter sprint. Sprint Review Meeting held’s after the Sprint Review meeting and prior to the next Sprint Planning Meeting. During this meeting each team member is asked to identify specific things team should:

1. What we should start doing?
2. What we should stop doing?
3. What we should continue doing?

Scrum Artifacts

Product Backlog

Product Backlog in an list of  user stories(requirements) which is maintained for the  development. Product Backlog is dynamic and constantly changes to identify what the app needs to be appropriate, competitive and useful. Product Backlog is often ordered by value, risk, priority and necessity, and high priority items gets immediate development activities over lower priority items.

Sprint Backlog

Sprint Backlog is a list of selected items from the Product Backlog for the Sprint. Sprint Backlog makes visible all of the work that Development identifies as necessary to meet the Sprint goal. Once sprint tasks estimation is done and team is committed on sprint backlog items then we can’t add additional user story in the sprint.

Agile  Business Value /  Waterfall

  Why does it make sense to use Scrum Methodology for Mobile Apps?

1. Agile development fits in the evolving nature of mobility
2. After completion of the project Agile development delivers an mobile app which might easily fit in your current business requirements
3. Agile development makes more stable and less buggy mobile app
4. In Agile development It’s easier to implement the new features and enhancements which are mentioned in customer feedback.

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