| Table of Contents: Learn Agile & Scrum in 2 Hours | |
| Previous Chapter: The Agile Mindset | |
Agile
A project management and product development philosophy that emphasizes iterative progress, adaptability, and continuous value delivery.
Agile Framework
A structured approach that applies Agile principles through defined roles, workflows, and practices to help teams deliver value efficiently. Examples include Scrum, Kanban, Extreme Programming (XP), and Lean.
Agile Manifesto
A foundational document for software development expressing the core values and principles that inform Agile project management, created in 2001 by 17 software experts.
Agile Principles
Guiding principles that build on and expand the concepts embodied in the Agile values, facilitating the development of an Agile mindset and work practices.
Agile Values
The core beliefs that guide the Agile methodology, such as prioritizing individuals and interactions over processes and tools, working software over comprehensive documentation, customer collaboration over contract negotiation, and responding to change over following a plan.
Customer Value
The benefit a product delivers to its users. In other words, how well does the software (or solution) meet customer needs and solve their problems?
Epics
Large, high-level requirements that represent major user needs or business capabilities, often spanning multiple sprints.
Events
Time-boxed activities (often called “ceremonies”) that give Scrum its rhythm. They provide regular opportunities for the team to plan, inspect, adapt, and deliver value. Standard Scrum events include the Sprint, Sprint Planning, the Daily Scrum, the Sprint Review, and the Sprint Retrospective.
Features
Specific functionalities that deliver value to the user and contribute to fulfilling an epic.
Goals
Specific, measurable objectives derived from the vision. Goals translate broad aspirations into actionable outcomes that guide decision-making and prioritization.
Increment
A usable, potentially shippable piece of the product that is produced at the end of each sprint.
Information Radiators
Visual displays (e.g., a task board on the wall, an online Kanban board, or a sprint burndown chart) that broadcast the team’s status at a glance. By “radiating” information outward, these tools allow everyone—team members, Scrum Master, Product Owner, and stakeholders—to stay aligned, discuss bottlenecks, and make quick decisions whenever needed.
Just in Time (JIT) Planning
An iterative approach where stakeholders and teams work together to complete a project, planning just enough—a few steps ahead.
Kanban
An Agile framework that emphasizes lean principles such as continuous delivery, a pull-based workflow system, working on a single piece at a time, limiting work in progress, and visualizing workflow with a Kanban board.
Nonfunctional Requirements
Define how the software should execute the functional requirements. Non-functional requirements relate to the software’s quality and performance, such as speed, reliability, usability, security, etc.
Production Environment
The actual environment where the software runs and operates for the customer. The staging environment helps to ensure that the software meets the quality and functionality requirements and that there are no bugs or errors in the production environment.
Scrum
An iterative and lightweight Agile software development framework. It focuses on small teams of people working together with highly specified roles to address complex problems, incrementally deliver value, and continuously improve.
Scrumban
A hybrid Agile framework that blends the structure and discipline of Scrum with the flexibility and flow of Kanban.
Servant Leadership
A leadership approach where the leader’s primary role is to support, empower, and enable their team rather than command or control. A servant leader prioritizes the growth, well-being, and success of the team, removes obstacles, and fosters a culture of trust, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
The structured process for developing, testing, deploying, and maintaining software. It typically includes stages like planning, analysis, design, implementation, testing, deployment, and maintenance.
Sprint
Timeboxed intervals of work (typically two weeks) characteristic of Agile frameworks like Scrum.
Sprint Goal
A concise statement that describes the intended outcome of the sprint. It provides direction and focus, helping the team align their efforts while allowing flexibility in how they achieve it.
Staging Environment
A replica of the production environment where the software can be tested and evaluated before it is released to the customer. The staging environment allows the team to get feedback from the customer and make any changes or improvements before the final release.
Tasks
Actionable steps required to complete a user story, often broken down into technical or design work.
User Stories
Small, user-focused increments of work that describe a specific requirement from the end user’s perspective.
Value
The measurable benefit a product or project provides to both users and the organization. It encompasses meeting customer needs, solving problems effectively, and achieving strategic business objectives, such as revenue growth, cost reduction, or operational efficiency.
Vision
The high-level purpose and long-term aspiration of a project or product. It defines the overarching “why” behind the work, providing direction and inspiration for the team.
Waterfall
The traditional linear project delivery framework. It involves planning, estimating, and documenting a complete solution up front. Its cascading process is like a waterfall, hence the term.
