Is ‘change’ readily accepted in Scrum?

June 9, 2014

Every project, regardless of its method or framework is exposed to change. It is imperative that

project team members understand that the Scrum development processes are designed to embrace

change. Organizations should try to maximize the benefits that arise from change and minimize any

negative impacts through diligent change management processes in accordance with the principles

of Scrum.

In today’s hypercompetitive world where technology, market conditions, and business patterns are

continuously shifting, change is the only constant.

A primary principle of Scrum is its acknowledgement that a) stakeholders (e.g., customers, users,

and sponsors) do change their minds about what they want and need throughout a project

(sometimes referred to as “requirements churn”) and b) that it is very difficult, if not impossible, for

stakeholders to define all requirements during project initiation.

Scrum development projects welcome change by using small development cycles that incorporate

customer feedback on the project’s deliverables after each Sprint. This enables the customer to

regularly interact with the Scrum Team members, view product increments as they are ready,

and change requirements earlier on in the development cycle. Also, the portfolio or program

management teams can respond to Change Requests pertaining to Scrum projects applicable at their

level.

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