Scrum is Dead!

Scrum, long a model for agile working, is increasingly reaching its limits in project business. Customers demand fixed deadlines and budgets.

English edition — originally published in German as Scrum ist tot!.

The Problem: Agility Meets Business Reality

Scrum, once celebrated as a model for agile work, is increasingly reaching its limits. Especially in project business, it's clear: hardly any company works by the book. Customers demand fixed deadlines and budgets. In Switzerland, the term "agility" was even chosen as the "non-word of the year" in the ICT industry in 2020.

This reality is not surprising: Scrum relies on high flexibility and constant changes during a project. In theory, this leads to better results. In practice, however, stakeholders and customers primarily demand one thing: commitment.

Limits of Agility in Project Business

Scrum follows a strict framework that is often not feasible in practice:

• Contractual obligations: Companies are contractually bound to deadlines and budgets
• Customer expectations: Customers expect fixed delivery dates or guaranteed results
• Cost overruns: The flexible approach often leads to misunderstandings and higher costs

While Scrum still works in internal projects or larger companies, it's clear that smaller companies are looking for alternatives that balance predictability and flexibility.

New Approaches for Predictable Agility

So, has agility had its day? Not at all. It merely requires new approaches that combine the advantages of agile methods with the predictability of traditional methods.

Scrumban: The Best of Both Worlds

Scrumban is a hybrid of Scrum and Kanban. It preserves the flexibility of agile working while allowing for better control over the workflow. Kanban uses a visual representation of work steps to identify bottlenecks early.

The result: more control, fewer delays, and better predictability.

Agile Fixed-Price Models

Another promising approach is the agile fixed-price model. A fixed price and a clear timeframe are agreed upon with the customer, within which teams can work agilely.

The advantage: Customers get the desired predictability, while teams can still react flexibly. A true win-win situation.

Disciplined Agile Delivery (DAD)

DAD builds on agile methods but extends them with essential aspects:

• Governance
• Risk management
• Adherence to schedules

Companies using DAD report a significant reduction in cost overruns.

Lean Development

Lean Development is based on the principle of working as efficiently as possible and without waste. In combination with agile principles, a model emerges that combines flexibility with efficiency.

Rethinking Agility: More Commitment, Less Chaos

The statement "Scrum is dead" may sound provocative, but it reflects a clear reality: Agile methods must evolve.

The classic Scrum model with its endless iterations has outlived its usefulness in many areas. Instead, new approaches are needed that combine the strengths of agility with the demands for clear time and budget specifications.

The New Agile Future

Hybrid models like Scrumban, Agile Fixed-Price, or Disciplined Agile Delivery show that agility certainly works in practice – if implemented correctly.

The end of Scrum does not mean the end of agile working methods. Rather, it is the beginning of a new era in which agility and commitment go hand in hand – to implement projects more efficiently and successfully.