Scrum Shortcuts Without Cutting Corners

by Ilan Goldstein

Scrum is rapidly gaining momentum as the most popular agile framework primarily because its concepts are simple and they just make sense. However, this perceived simplicity often gives rise to the false sense that Scrum is a 'silver bullet' and trivial to implement. When 'rubber hits the road', the new Scrum team will often find that translating the framework into effective, practical approaches is anything but easy.

Full of easily digestible chapters, 'Scrum Shortcuts Without Cutting Corners' presents a range of tactics, tools and tips that may be employed by a Scrum team to help them reach the next level of efficiency and maturity.

Ilan blogs at Scrum Shortcuts without Cutting Corners


Ilan Goldstein

Ilan Goldstein

Ilan is a Sydney-based Certified Scrum Trainer (CST) and director of AxisAgile. He works with startups, market leaders and public companies to improve their agility through the implementation of Scrum.

Table of Contents

  1. Part 1: Scrum Start Up
    1. Shortcut 1 - Scrum on the Pitch
    2. Shortcut 2 - Fragile Agile 
    3. Shortcut 3 -  Creative Comfort 
  2. Part 2: Attitudes & Abilities
    1. Shortcut 4 -  Masterful ScrumMaster 
    2. Shortcut 5 - Rock Stars or Studio Musicians? 
    3. Shortcut 6 - Picking Your Team Line-Up 
  3. Part 3: Planning & Protecting
    1. Shortcut 7 - Setting the Scrum Stage 
    2. Shortcut 8 - Plan the Sprint - Sprint the Plan 

    3. Shortcut 9 - Implicating Impediments 

  4. Part 4: Requirement Refinement
    1. Shortcut 10 - Structuring Stories 
    2. Shortcut 11 - Developing the Definition of Done 
    3. Shortcut 12 - Progressive Revelations
  5. Part 5: Establishing Estimates
    1. Shortcut 13 - Relative Estimation Communication 
    2. Shortcut 14 - Planning Poker at Pace  
    3. Shortcut 15 - Transitioning Relatively 
  6. Part 6: Questioning Quality
    1. Shortcut 16 - Bah! Scrum Bug!
    2. Shortcut 17 - We Still Love the Tester!
    3. Shortcut 18 - Automation Nation
  7. Part 7: Monitoring & Metrics
    1. Shortcut 19 - Metrics That Matter
    2. Shortcut 20 - Outstanding Stand-Ups

    3. Shortcut 21 - Taming the Task Board 

  8. Part 8: Retros, Reviews & Risks

    1. Shortcut 22 - Retrospective Irrespective 
    2. Shortcut 23 - To-Dos For Your Sprint Reviews

    3. Shortcut 24 - Risk Takers & Mistake Makers 

  9. Part 9: Managing the Managers
    1. Shortcut 25 - Perception is Reality
    2. Shortcut 26 - Our Lords & Masters 

    3. Shortcut 27 - Morphing Management in the Matrix 

  10. Part 10: Larger Lessons
    1. Shortcut 28 - Scrum Rollout Reckoning 
    2. Shortcut 29 - Eyes On the Prize
    3. Shortcut 30 - Shortcut to the Final Level