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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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The Scrum Fieldbook summary
J.J. Sutherland
A Master Class on Accelerating Performance, Getting Results, and Defining the Future
27 mins
Brief summary
The Scrum Fieldbook by J.J. Sutherland explains how to implement the Scrum framework in real-life situations, using case studies and examples. It gives practical advice on how to apply Scrum to improve team productivity and deliver projects on time.
Table of Contents
The Scrum Fieldbook
Summary of 8 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 8
Scrum is all about responding to rapidly changing conditions.
In 1965, Intel’s co-founder Gordon Moore made a prediction known as Moore’s Law. He forecast that every two years, the number of transistors on a computer chip would double. Meanwhile, over the same time, the price of each chip would reduce by half.
Surprisingly, Moore’s Law has held true. As the years have worn on, chips have become smaller, faster, and cheaper. As a result, their computing power has risen at an exponential rate. Today, we live in a world where any given smartphone is magnitudes more powerful than anything available in 1965.
But, computer chips aren’t the only thing speeding up. In our contemporary society, nearly everything – from innovation to business growth – happens at an accelerated rate. And your organization needs to be just as nimble to keep pace with this quick tempo.
The key message here is: Scrum is all about responding to rapidly changing conditions.
So, what is Scrum, exactly? Well, to understand Scrum, you must first understand Agile. Distilled to its most basic elements, Agile is a methodology for organizing work that aims to solve problems efficiently. Agile places value on collaboration, complexity, and continuous adaptation. Scrum is the most popular framework for putting these values into action. In fact, 70 percent of Agile teams use Scrum.
The advantage of Scrum is that it helps you tackle big tasks by breaking them down into smaller, achievable goals. Without such a technique, complex projects can turn into quagmires. For instance, in the early 90s, the London Stock Exchange tried to modernize its computer systems through a project called TAURUS. The Exchange attempted to upgrade everything at once. Yet, the multi-million dollar project was overwhelmed with too many details and ended in failure.
In contrast, consider the case of Saab, the Swedish engineering firm. Saab was tasked with upgrading Sweden’s standard fighter jet, the Gripen 39C. Of course, fighter jets are extremely complex weapons so designing a new one is a monumental task. But, Saab adopted a Scrum approach. Instead of tackling the whole plane at once, they broke it into independent modules. Different teams worked on different parts like engine, radar, and computer systems.
As a result, the new Gripen is extremely versatile. Each component can be changed and upgraded as necessary. Thanks to Scrum, the plane is more adaptable and about half the cost of an F-35, the American equivalent. So, how does Scrum actually work? Find out in the next blink.
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What is The Scrum Fieldbook about?
The Scrum Fieldbook (2019) is a practical, hands-on guide to the scrum organizational framework within the Agile mindset. This concise manual recaps how scrum works to increase work velocity and to ensure any team delivers the right impact for the business. It also explains how to implement Scrum in any organization across all industries from software to home renovation and even to the military.
The Scrum Fieldbook Review
The Scrum Fieldbook (2019) offers practical insights and tools for implementing the agile Scrum methodology in any organization. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- By providing real-world examples and case studies, it offers a clear roadmap to successfully apply Scrum principles in different contexts.
- Its emphasis on collaboration and iterative improvement makes it a valuable resource for teams looking to enhance productivity and deliver value to customers.
- With a focus on continuous learning and adapting to change, the book keeps readers engaged and motivated, ensuring that the topic of Scrum is anything but boring.
Best quote from The Scrum Fieldbook
Scrum is a way for a person, a team, or an organization to be able to respond to that complexity, to respond to change that cannot be predicted, to move nimbly with alacrity through a constantly changing problem space.
—J.J. Sutherland
Who should read The Scrum Fieldbook?
- Small companies looking for big results
- Managers aiming to streamline their team
- Anyone interested in cutting-edge organizational techniques
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The Scrum Fieldbook FAQs
What is the main message of The Scrum Fieldbook?
The main message of The Scrum Fieldbook is how to implement and apply Scrum principles effectively in real-world scenarios.
How long does it take to read The Scrum Fieldbook?
The reading time for The Scrum Fieldbook varies, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is The Scrum Fieldbook a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Scrum Fieldbook is a valuable read for anyone looking to improve their Scrum skills. It provides practical insights and actionable strategies.
Who is the author of The Scrum Fieldbook?
The author of The Scrum Fieldbook is J.J. Sutherland.
What to read after The Scrum Fieldbook?
If you're wondering what to read next after The Scrum Fieldbook, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Scrum by Jeff Sutherland
- The Elements of Scrum by Chris Sims and Hillary Louise Johnson
- F.I.R.E. by Dan Ward
- Leadership Strategy by Powerful Business Solutions
- The Eight Essential People Skills for Project Management by Zachary Wong
- The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
- Emotional Intelligence for Project Managers by Anthony Mersino
- The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz
- Difficult Conversations Don't Have to Be Difficult by Jon Gordon & Amy P. Kelly