On: Scrum's Built-In 'Get Out of Jail Free Card' Again...

[kelseyfrog]

What evidence would it take to conclude Scrum didn't work?

[Sankozi → kelseyfrog]

Scrum works in some way. Its rituals take some time, even if you consider all of them pointless, there is some time left to deliver value. Crappy car also works if you can use it and drive to designated place.

The question should be "Is there, for every situation, something clearly better than Scrum?".

[ebiester → kelseyfrog]

I think this is the wrong question. The question instead is “for what context, what other solution works better?”

That could be SAFe, or DAD, or 37 signals’ Shape Up.

“Scrum doesn’t work” is like saying Systemd doesn’t work. Obviously it works in some contexts. Obviously it has weaknesses. But in comparison to what?

[x3n0ph3n3 → kelseyfrog]

The same that it takes to prove that TDD doesn't produce more value than other development techniques. Both have moving bars whete proponents just claim "you are not doing it right" in the face of any criticism.

[8372049 → x3n0ph3n3]

"You're not doing it right" can be its own criticism though. If you're not doing X right then maybe that means it's too hard to use X in a way that adds value.

X can be useful for one person in one situation and not useful in another, neither of which shows that it's intrinsically useful or intrinsically flawed. It just depends. Our holy wars to prove the might of our favorite tools and techniques are never going to give any universal truths.

(Except that Vim is better than Emacs.)