Large Scale Scrum (LeSS) Tutorial

Introduction to Large Scale Scrum (LeSS)

Large Scale Scrum (LeSS) is an extension of Scrum designed to scale Scrum principles and practices to large product development efforts involving multiple teams. LeSS maintains the simplicity of Scrum while providing a framework to coordinate multiple Scrum teams working on the same product. This tutorial will guide you through the principles, structure, and implementation of LeSS.

Core Principles of LeSS

LeSS is built on the following core principles:

• Empirical Process Control: Like Scrum, LeSS is based on empirical process control, where decisions are made based on observation and experimentation.
• Transparency: Transparency is crucial in LeSS to ensure all stakeholders have a clear understanding of the state of the product and the work being done.
• Inspection and Adaptation: Regular inspection and adaptation cycles allow teams to continuously improve their processes and products.
• Shared Responsibility: All teams share responsibility for the product, fostering collaboration and communication between them.

LeSS Framework Structure

The LeSS framework includes several key roles, events, and artifacts that help in managing large-scale Scrum projects:

Roles

• Product Owner: There is a single Product Owner for the entire product who is responsible for the product backlog and prioritization.
• Scrum Teams: Multiple Scrum teams work simultaneously on the product, each with its own Scrum Master.
• Scrum Master: Each team has a Scrum Master who helps facilitate the Scrum process within their team.

Events

• Sprint: A time-boxed iteration where teams work on user stories selected from the product backlog.
• Sprint Planning: A collaborative event where all teams participate in planning the sprint's work.
• Daily Scrum: Each team conducts its own daily stand-up meeting to synchronize and plan for the day.
• Sprint Review: A joint event where all teams present their work to stakeholders and gather feedback.
• Sprint Retrospective: Each team holds its own retrospective to reflect and improve their processes.

Artifacts

• Product Backlog: A single product backlog that contains all the user stories for the product.
• Team Backlogs: Each team has its own sprint backlog derived from the product backlog.

Implementing LeSS

To implement LeSS in your organization, follow these steps:

1. Training: Provide training for all roles involved in LeSS, including Product Owners, Scrum Masters, and team members.
2. Establish a Product Owner: Appoint a single Product Owner for the product who will manage the product backlog.
3. Create Cross-Functional Teams: Form multiple cross-functional Scrum teams that can deliver potentially shippable increments of the product.
4. Facilitate Collaboration: Encourage collaboration between teams through joint planning, reviews, and retrospectives.
5. Monitor and Adapt: Continuously monitor the process and adapt based on feedback from the teams and stakeholders.

Example of LeSS

Imagine a software company developing a new e-commerce platform. They have three Scrum teams, each responsible for different features:

During Sprint Planning, all teams collaborate to select user stories from the product backlog that they can work on in the upcoming sprint. Each team then creates its own sprint backlog based on their agreed-upon stories.

At the end of the sprint, all teams present their work during a joint Sprint Review, allowing stakeholders to provide feedback and ensuring alignment across the product's features.

Conclusion

Large Scale Scrum (LeSS) provides a robust framework for scaling Scrum in large organizations. By focusing on collaboration, transparency, and shared responsibility, LeSS enables multiple teams to work effectively on a shared product. Implementing LeSS requires training, commitment, and a willingness to adapt, but the rewards can lead to improved product quality and faster delivery times.