Scrum is Not a Set of Training Wheels

Prior to the 2020 version of the Scrum Guide, Scrum was described as simple to understand but difficult to master.  In truth, it’s very difficult to master. So difficult, in fact, that the number of genuine Scrum success stories can probably be counted on one hand.  (This is likely a very controversial statement, one which is purely my opinion formed from my experience. Some would surely argue it is far too conservative and some would argue it is far too liberal.)

Interestingly, I’ve heard arguments that Scrum is the first step to agility. “Start with Scrum, and, once your team has matured, take the training wheels off and see what works for you.”  The concept of Shu-Ha-Ri is often referred to in this respect.  Get to the Ri stage and break away from, or adapt, Scrum. 

It amazes me that anyone can see Scrum as a set of training wheels.  It should be simple to understand, but even that statement was being kind. Its endless misinterpretations appear to prove that. But though a bike may be simple to understand - it has two wheels, the faster you pedal, the faster you will move - mastering a bike the first time you get on one is unlikely.  

You’d have thought the sheer number of failed implementations of Scrum is the evidence that it very much isn’t a set of training wheels. Scrum expects so much of people, teams, and organizations. Perhaps too much. We ask Developers to step into management roles, where they self-manage their projects (remember, “each Sprint may be considered a short project”). Most Developers I’ve worked with have no project management experience at all - scheduling their own Daily Scrum is an arduous task.  We ask Product Owners to be accountable for the value of the product.  Most Product Owners I’ve worked with have no business finance background or limited legal knowledge. Many simply lack an entrepreneurial mindset.  We ask Scrum Masters to serve the organization, helping with its adoption of Scrum.  Most Scrum Masters I’ve worked with have never had any senior leadership experience in an organization; how could they possibly advise C-suite folks?  

How on Earth can an organization expect to push Scrum on people who have such little appropriate experience?  You would never expect a child to ride a bike effectively on their first attempt.  The analogy breaks down here because a child can often learn to ride a bike quite quickly.  However, this rate of learning is much, much slower in an organization adopting Scrum.  There are so many complications that make it, more often than not, a failed endeavor. 

I believe Scrum is a valuable framework. I believe it is possible to be effective and help people, teams, and organizations generate value.  I believe it is extremely difficult, however, and for many, too difficult.  I believe, rather than seeing it as a set of training wheels, we should acknowledge it as something that requires its own training wheels.