A comprehensive guide to Nexus Scrum
Nexus is the Latin word for connection and Nexus Scrum, a framework designed to scale Agile, lives up to its name by seamlessly connecting people and things.
With 3 to 9 Scrum Teams collaborating under one Product Owner, this framework helps streamlining collaboration while delivering increments from one single Product Backlog.
Delve into this article to grasp the core principles, roles, responsibilities, and ceremonies that define Nexus Scrum – your gateway to enhanced Scrum in larger contexts.
What is the Nexus framework
Rooted in the Scrum methodology, the Nexus framework takes a step forward, addressing dependency management among multiple Scrum Teams while keeping the essence of Scrum Values and empiricism intact. This approach facilitates the coordination of diverse activities required for complex product deliveries.
Think of Nexus as a cluster of 3 to 9 Scrum Teams working together seamlessly on the delivery of a single product. Managed by a single Product Owner, steering the collective efforts, the teams work on a single, shared Product Backlog. This means that the Scrum Teams within a Nexus work toward a common Product Goal, with their defined roles and responsibilities. These are the same defined in the Scrum framework (Developers, Product Owner and Scrum Master).
When is Nexus ideal?
Nexus is especially well-suited for projects that meet certain criteria:
- Building One Product, as Nexus uses a single Product Backlog.
- Using Multiple Scrum Teams: for smaller projects that do not require many resources, the traditional Scrum framework would be more suitable.
- Interdependency of Team, as Nexus addresses the need for synchronization and coordination.
The choice of scaling framework depends on various factors, including the organization’s culture, project complexity, and desired level of adherence to Agile principles. In comparison to other scaling frameworks, Nexus offers some distinct advantages:
- Loyalty to Original Scrum Principles: Nexus stays true to the core principles of Scrum, adapting them to the needs of scaled projects. This can be appealing to organizations that value the simplicity and clarity of Scrum and wish to maintain its essence while scaling up.
- Flexibility and Responsiveness: Nexus emphasizes a lightweight approach that allows teams to react swiftly to changes. This is in contrast to frameworks like SAFe, which can involve more extensive planning and governance.
- Reduced Bureaucracy: Nexus avoids introducing unnecessary layers of bureaucracy, keeping the focus on collaboration and value delivery. This can lead to a more streamlined process, which is attractive to organizations seeking efficiency in their scaled Agile implementation.
Nexus Events and Artifacts
The Nexus framework not only inherits and preserves Scrum events and artifacts but also enhances them.
Consequently, the Product Backlog Refinement remains to review the items in the shared Product Backlog, but it transforms into a cross-team refinement focused on identifying and mitigating cross-team dependencies.
The Nexus Sprint Planning corresponds to the original Sprint Planning. During this event, a Nexus Sprint Goal is defined, and items from the Product Backlog are moved to the Sprint Backlog for each Scrum Team. This ensures that all teams align with the Nexus Sprint Goal.
Throughout the Sprint, each team tracks progress in the Daily Scrums, as per the traditional Scrum approach. Additionally, a new event, the Nexus Daily Scrum, takes place. Here, representatives from the Scrum Teams assess progress toward the Nexus Sprint Goal and identify integration issues and newly discovered cross-team dependencies. Such dependencies will be tackled by the Nexus Integration Team, but we’ll delve deeper into this in the following paragraph.
During the Nexus Sprint Review the teams examine the Integrated Increment, encompassing all integrated work accomplished by the Nexus toward the Product Goal. This mirrors the traditional Sprint Review.
Similarly, a counterpart exists for the Sprint Retrospective: the Nexus Sprint Retrospective. This offers the chance to review the Sprint’s performance, pinpoint factors impacting the Nexus, and propose solutions for enhancing collaboration. The Nexus Sprint Retrospective marks the official end of the Sprint, aligning with the conventional Scrum practice.
As evident, the resemblances to the original Scrum approach are significant. At the same time, Nexus tries to extend beyond the Scrum foundations, striving to address the demands of larger, more complex, scaled projects.
The Nexus Integration Team
A noteworthy difference between traditional Scrum and Nexus lies in the presence of the Nexus Integration Team, a component that does not have any counterpart in the conventional Scrum framework.
The Nexus Integration Team is a dedicated group entrusted with the task of ensuring that a Nexus of Scrum Teams achieves the goal of generating a valuable and usable Increment within each Sprint cycle. To accomplish this, the Integration Team actively tackles both technical and non-technical challenges that might obstruct the Nexus’s seamless delivery of an integrated Increment.
Nexus Integration Team Composition
The Integration Team is composed of the following roles:
- Product Owner: Responsible for maximizing product value.
- Scrum Master: Ensures comprehensive understanding and application of the Nexus framework.
- Selected Scrum Team Members: Possess the necessary skills and expertise to address the challenges faced by the Nexus.
Nexus Integration Team Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Nexus Integration Team encompass:
- Coaching and guiding the Scrum Teams to adopt and adeptly utilize tools and practices that enhance their capacity to generate a valuable Increment.
- Raising awareness about dependencies and issues spanning multiple teams.
- Confronting both technical and non-technical cross-functional constraints that could hinder the Nexus’s continuous delivery of an integrated Increment.
Membership in the Integration Team takes precedence over individual affiliation with a specific Scrum Team. This implies that Integration Team members prioritize their duties, dedicating attention to their Scrum Team responsibilities only once their Integration Team commitments are fulfilled. This approach guarantees that resolving issues that impact multiple teams is given the highest priority.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Nexus Scrum stands as a powerful bridge between the principles of Agile and the demands of larger-scale projects. By seamlessly connecting multiple Scrum Teams, Nexus Scrum brings enhanced collaboration and coordinated efforts, maintaining the core values and empiricism of Scrum intact.
The Nexus framework introduces the vital concept of the Nexus Integration Team, which plays a pivotal role in overcoming technical and non-technical obstacles, ensuring a valuable Increment in each Sprint. This team, comprising the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and selected Scrum Team Members, is dedicated to maximizing product value and resolving cross-team challenges.
As organizations strive for efficient scaling and improved project outcomes, Nexus Scrum emerges as a beacon of streamlined coordination and shared success. Share this comprehensive guide with your network to unlock the potential of Nexus Scrum and elevate your Agile journey!
Italian cloud computing professional with a strong background in project management & several years of international experience in business consulting. His expertise lies in bridging the gap between business stakeholders & developers, ensuring seamless project delivery. During his free time, he enjoys fatherhood and immersing himself in nature.
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