Scrum is currently one of the most popular lightweight methodologies of projects management. In this post I’ll suggest a process, which you can use to introduce Scrum in your company. I won’t be describing the methodology itself, but I’ll focus on introduction method, assuming that you don’t intend to hire a company that does it professionally.

1.Create a team working on Scrum introduction

The team should consist of people representing present project leaders (project managers), department managers (optionally members of the board), employees.

Basic tasks of the team :

• The analysis of present situation and changes in the organisation that must happen in order to have Scrum introduced.
• Choosing teams and projects.
• Interactions of Scrum projects and processes (projects) without Scrum. Since we introduce the methodology with small steps, there always be conflicts with other projects that are being realized in the company. We should try to identify them and prevent them before they appear.
• Use Scrum methodology also to introduction project. Be open to all remarks, learn from your mistakes and make improvements in further sprints.

2.The choice of teams and projects

I recommend Scrum introduction step by step, starting from 1-2 teams, and not in the whole company at once. There are of course even large companies, which introduced Scrum at once in the whole organisation, for example Salesforce. However, when we act without support of external subject, an iterative approach is better. If you are a microenterprise, then you can introduce methodology in the whole company.

• Search people among your employees, who have already worked in Scrum. If they have good experiences, join them to the first Scrum teams.
• Choose Scrum Masters – they must be open-minded people, eager to learn. If they have no experience, send them to external training, preparing to Scrum Master role and persuade them to attend meetings of Agile discussion groups.
• Choose Product Owners – match them according to competence of product, which is being realized.
• Never join roles of Product Owner and Scrum Master.
• Choose projects, which last no longer than half a year and preferably these ones which are in some measure independent from no Scrum processes in the company.
• Add a new project every 2 months.

3.Work environment

• Have your teams working in one room and with the access to the board.
• Team members should work only on one project.
• Supervise there were no deviations from Scrum rules. You will feel the temptation  (very quickly) to adjust methodology to your needs, but don’t do it at the beginning.

4.Education/Communication

Before introduction, it’s very important that everybody knows what Scrum is and why we want to introduce it. I suggest:

• Sending information (at the very beginning) to all employees, but no pdf files with methodology description. My suggestions:

http://scrumtrainingseries.com

• Organizing an opening meeting, during which we’ll explain our introduction aims and a process thanks to which we want to achieve them.
• Organizing a meeting (once a month), during which we’ll know an introduction situation.

Summary

Changing project management methodology in the company is a difficult task. Surely you’ll meet many problems, especially the resistance of people who don’t like changes. Don’t worry, it’s normal. You must show consistency in action and communicate the changes succesfully.