How Can We Measure Success in Scrum?

Scrum's empirical approach promotes adapting to reality rather than sticking rigidly to predefined KPIs. Success in Scrum focuses on continuous improvement, value delivery, and customer satisfaction.

Scrum is based on empiricism and Lean thinking. Empiricism asserts that knowledge comes from experience and making decisions based on what is observed. This means that success in Scrum is measured by the value delivered towards the product vision through an iterative and incremental approach to work.

Here are some measures of success in Scrum:

1.     Value Delivery: The primary measure of success is delivering valuable products to customers. This is often assessed through the Increment, a step towards a vision or goal.

2.     Sprint Goals Achievement: Each Sprint has a goal, and success can be measured by how often and how well these Sprint Goals are achieved. The goals should contribute towards the product goal and overall product vision. Consistently meeting them indicates a successful use of Scrum.

3.     Metrics tracking Product Quality: Quality is non-negotiable in Scrum. Measures such as the number of defects, the cycle time for fixing issues, and technical debt are essential to understand the ability to innovate. Maintaining high code quality and reducing technical debt, therefore increasing transparency, can significantly impact the success of Scrum implementation.

4.     Transparency: Transparency is necessary for all the other measures to be effective. The ability of the team and organisation to be transparent about work, progress, and issues is a measure of successful Scrum implementation.

5.     Team Self-Improvement and Morale: A team that has deep knowledge and skills in the areas of practice, can constantly extend its responsibilities, and is self-managed in a way that shapes the rules rather than just following them can be more successful in delivering value for the product, the customers and the organisation.