Scrum is Simple and Incomplete

I’ve heard several references recently to the Scrum Canon. I went searching and I’ve not been able to find it. Is it one Ken (et al.) three books? Ken and Jeff’s most recent Scrum Guide? Does it include the ideas that Mike documented in Agile Planning and Estimation? … Is what the majority of CST’s are teaching at this moment in time? In end I don’t think there is a Canon and its absence doesn’t matter. We can all agree on the basics: three roles (PO, Scrum Master and Team Member), Four meetings (Planning, Daily Standup, Demo, Retrospective) and three artefacts (Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Burndown Chart).  Beyond that is the art of what makes a team truly successful Scrum Practice (in no particular order):

• User Stories
• Planning Poker
• Release Planning
• Engineering Practices
• Cross Training
• ….even approaches to Scaling

I teach about all of these in my CSM courses, but none of these is core to Scrum. None is required. Why not? Scrum is incomplete it gives you enough information to get started and says you should improve from there. Its not a straight jacket and it welcomes other ideas/practices. I get concerned when people seek a complete methodology as they discourage diversity, outside thought and even thinking for yourself. So practice Scrum but don’t assume it or any other toolbox has all the answers. Sample from the buffet.

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