We’re well into our first iteration of the development project with all Scrum methods in place. We have a proper sprint backlog now, with tasks, kept in ScrumWorks. There are daily status meetings called Daily Scrums. I have to say that I do see the benefits already. Even though the team is a bit too small and I’m not always on site – so I’m trying to moderate over Skype, which doesn’t work as well.

The biggest benefit is, I think, a noticeable improvement in communication. Now I really do know every day where the team is, what was accomplished, what wasn’t, what’s in their way – and what chances we have to deliver on our promises. I don’t need any reports now. Even between the Daily Scrums I can always open the ScrumWorks and see what has changed. I hope the team feels the same way about it.

This improvement led me to see even more how much the whole management team could also benefit from better communication. A weekly scrum meeting could do wonders for a bunch of people, who spend most of their time traveling around the region, doing various things and not talking to each other.

Good, frequent communication in a team is necessary. Even more so in a dispersed one. But unless all those involved are from similar backgrounds, age groups etc. – and on top of that like each other – such a communication won’t appear on its own. It has to be cleverly fostered within a team. Scrum gives an excellent, simple tool to do so – the Daily Scrum meeting.