This document challenges common beliefs about the origins of Scrum, suggesting that elements of Scrum may have existed much earlier than is traditionally thought. It references President Kennedy's 1961 goal of landing a man on the moon by the end of the decade, implying he may have been the first "Product Owner". The document also shows exhibits that appear to represent an early "Product Backlog" and the Scrum principle of "Inspect and Adapt". The author aims to provoke the audience to rethink the recent history of Scrum by considering unexpected early examples of Scrum concepts and practices.

1. Rewriting History
Finding the foundations of
Scrum in Unexpected Places

2. Setting Expectations
• Your life will NOT be changed
by this presentation
• You will not have to pay
ANYTHING for this information
• You will (hopefully) have fun
and perhaps rethink recent
history

3. What do we (THINK) we know?
“The New New Product
Development Game”
Article
Jan
1986
“SCRUM Software
Development Process”
Oopsla conference in
Austin, Texas (US)
1995
Agile Manifesto
written at Snowbird Ski
Resort in Utah
Feb
2001

4. Would you believe?
Space Race
May
1961

5. Consider
the facts

6. Exhibit A:
First Product
Owner?

7. “I believe that this nation should
commit itself to achieving the
goal, before this decade is out,
of landing a man on the moon
and returning him safely to the
earth.”
President John F. Kennedy
Delivered in person before a joint session of
Congress May 25, 1961

8. Exhibit B:
First Product Backlog?

9. Exhibit C:
Inspect &
Adapt?

14. brian@scrum360.com
@bmilner
@scrum360