- The document discusses why the Scrum framework for agile product development can be problematic. At the product level, issues include not knowing the final product, delivery timeline, or costs. Organizationally, Scrum is meant to transform organizations, not just deliver products, requiring constant change and skilled, motivated people. This leads to loss of headcount and power within organizations. - The document proposes using an "Agile Equator" to balance the needs of agile development practices with more traditional waterfall methods through constant information sharing. This helps fulfill requirements on both sides of the "equator". - In summary, while Scrum aims to be more agile, it can create uncertainty at the product level and require significant

1. Why SCRUM sucks
-and what to do about it
Dirk Loop, CIPOC® GmbH, NOV 2018
CIPOC® GmbH, Yokohamastr. 10, D-20457 Hamburg, Phone +49-40-1802-410-60, Fax -65, Mail sales@cipoc.com, Web www.cipoc.com

2. Folie: 22© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved
This is Dirk
• Equity-Partner & Director of CIPOC® GmbH
• More than 15 years of management-experience in innovative industries (telco, banking,
media, fmcg, etc)
• Serial Entrepreneur & Adventure Capitalist
• National-Economist (Kiel) & trained Banker (Hamburg)
• Analytical Project Management Professional (PMP®)
• Motivating & encouraging Scrum Master
• Dale Carnegie® trained focused & persuasive communicator
• Emphatic certified LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator
• Pragmatic & intent human feedback loop
• Determined realist who likes to bear responsibility and welcomes challenges
• Traceable track-record in innovation & transformation
• Host of internet-groups Idea & Innovation Management (9.000+ members) and Intellectual
Property (2.500+ members)
• Author, Speaker and Trainer
Dirk Loop
dirk.loop@cipoc.com
+49-177-3493-006

3. Folie: 33© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved
One Sprint =
5 Minutes
Backlog
SPRINT_1 Why do Scrum? How does it work?
SPRINT_2 Why Scrum sucks: Part I: Product
SPRINT_3 Why Scrum sucks: Part II: Organization
SPRINT_4 How a quick fix might help you

4. Folie: 44
SPRINT_1
Why do Scrum? How does it work?

5. Folie: 55© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved // Source: projectcartoon.com (CC BY 3.0)
How product development works

6. Folie: 66© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved // Photo Source: projectcartoon.com (CC BY 3.0)
How Waterfall product development worksProductMaturity
TimeIdea
Proof of Concept

7. Folie: 77© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved // Photo Source: projectcartoon.com (CC BY 3.0); Basic Design Idea: Anders Toxboe, PUSH 2018
How product development should workProductMaturity
TimeIdea
Mature & Stable
Proof of Concept
A large portion of development
is trial and error

8. Folie: 88
Built
MeasureLearn
© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved
Why do Scrum > How Scrum works

9. Folie: 99© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved
Product
Backlog
Sprint
Backlog
Daily
Scrum
Sprint
Minimum
Viable
Product
Sprint
Review
How Scrum works

10. Folie: 1010
SPRIT REVIEW

11. Folie: 1111
SPRINT_2
Why Scrum sucks: Part I: Product

12. Folie: 1212© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved
Product
Backlog
Sprint
Backlog
Daily
Scrum
Sprint
Minimum
Viable
Product
Sprint
Review
How Scrum works > Recap

13. Folie: 1313© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved
Product
Backlog
Sprint
Backlog
Daily
Scrum
Sprint
ProductSprint
Review
“Why Scrum sucks”

14. Folie: 1414© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved // Source: Various
“Why Scrum sucks”

15. Folie: 1515© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved // Photo Source: projectcartoon.com (CC BY 3.0)
How “Waterfall Scrum” worksProductMaturity
TimeIdea
Proof of Concept
Too much focus on what and when
without asking why creates a tunnel vision.

16. Folie: 1616© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved
Product
Backlog
Sprint
Backlog
Daily
Scrum
Sprint
Minimum
Viable
Product
Sprint
Review
How Scrum works

17. Folie: 1717© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved // Basic Design Idea: Anders Toxboe, PUSH 2018
“Why Scrum sucks”ProductMaturity
TimeIdea
Mature & Stable
Proof of Concept
A Minimum Viable Product is not a Product.
It’s a Process.

18. Folie: 1818© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved // Basic Design Idea: Anders Toxboe, PUSH 2018
“Why Scrum sucks”ProductMaturity
TimeIdea
Mature & Stable
Proof of Concept
Those who correct
mistakes early, win

19. Folie: 1919
Built
MeasureLearn
© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved
“Why Scrum sucks”
Constantly
Increase
Speed

20. Folie: 2020
SPRIT REVIEW

21. Folie: 2121
SPRINT_3
Why Scrum sucks: Part II: Organization

22. Folie: 2222© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved
Product
Backlog
Sprint
Backlog
Daily
Scrum
Sprint
Sprint
Review
Sprint
Retros-
pective
“Why Scrum sucks”
Minimum
Viable
Product

23. Folie: 2323© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved
“Why Scrum sucks”
An Agile Process is an Oxymoron.

24. Folie: 2424
Built
MeasureLearn
© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved
“Why Scrum sucks”
Constant
Processual &
Organizational
Change

25. Folie: 2525© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved
“Why Scrum sucks”
Scrum is a tool for transforming organizations.
Using it only for product-development is like
hammering a screw into a wall with a hammer: It works, but it hurts.

26. Folie: 2626
SPRIT REVIEW

27. Folie: 2727
SPRINT_4
How a quick fix might help you

28. Folie: 2828© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved // Source: Geek & Poke (CC-BY-3.0)

29. Folie: 2929© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved
How to deal with it?
Agile Equator

30. Folie: 3030© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved
How to deal with it?
Agile Equator
DevelopmentManagement
Waterfall
Agile/Scrum
Common Practise &
Expectation
Processes &
Tools
Comprehensive
Documentation
Contract
Negotiation
Following a Plan
Individuals &
Interactions
Working
Software
Customer
Collaboration
Responding to
Change
Pattern of Thinking

31. Folie: 3131
DevelopmentManagement
Waterfall
Agile/Scrum
Processes &
Tools
Comprehensive
Documentation
Contract
Negotiation
Following a Plan
Individuals &
Interactions
Working
Software
Customer
Collaboration
Responding to
Change
© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved
Ebb & Flow of Information
Agile Equator
Common Practise &
Expectation
Pattern of Thinking
To fulfil all needs, information
has to be constantly transformed
across the “Agile Equator”
– like ebb and flow

32. Folie: 3232
DevelopmentManagement
Waterfall
Agile/Scrum
Processes &
Tools
Comprehensive
Documentation
Contract
Negotiation
Following a Plan
Individuals &
Interactions
Working
Software
Customer
Collaboration
Responding to
Change
© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved
Ebb & Flow of Information - Example
Agile Equator
Common Practise &
Expectation
Pattern of Thinking
“Can they do it
in time &
budget?”
“What do they
really want?” “This is what’s
possible in in time
& budget.”
“Holly crap, we
need something
totally different!”
“Oh no. Not
again!”
“That’s
impossible!”
“Well, ok, if we
focus on this &
that…”
“Well, that’s ok…
for the start.”
“No problem,
luckily we started
with the “safe
topics”.”
“Looks like we’re
on the right path.”
“Since it’s working,
can we put more
stuff in it?!”
“Oh no. Not
again!”
“We can do it… if
we re-priorize or
with add time &
budget.”
“Hm? We
should stick to
the plan.”
“We did it!”
“We did it?”

33. Folie: 3333
FINAL REVIEW / RETRO

34. Folie: 3434© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved
“Why Scrum sucks”: Summary
Product Level:
• You don’t know what you get at the end
• You don’t know when you get it
• You don’t know how much it will cost at the end
Processual/Organizational Level:
• Scrum is a tool for transforming organizations, not (only) for delivering products.
• You have to deal with constant organizational transformation
• You need to find skilled and motivated people
• You loose headcount (and therefore organizational power and/or probably also your job)

35. Folie: 3535© 2018 CIPOC® GmbH // All rights reserved // Source: (left) One of the first concept: Scrum, Ken Schwaber, 2003; (right) own experience
If you take one thing with you…
CommonSense
Time of working (solely) as Scrum practitioner

36. Folie: 3636
QUESTIONS?
FEEDBACK?