Nexus Framework for Scaling Scrum, The: Continuously Delivering an Integrated Product with Multiple Scrum Teams

Today, organizations want to scale Scrum to ever larger and more complex projects, driving the benefits of agility throughout the enterprise. But most conventional solutions to scaling agility have added complexity and deviated from the principles that make Scrum so attractive. The Nexus Framework for Scaling Scrum introduces a better approach, reflecting the authors' many years of applying and scaling Scrum in multiple industries. Three leading Scrum.org experts introduce the Nexus Framework, showing how it enables smooth integration among multiple Scrum teams, as well as highly-effective collaboration with non-Scrum teams working on the same project. Drawing on their immense experience, they explain what Nexus is, how it works, and how it solves agile scalability problems that have bedeviled organizations for years. Next, they offer start-to-finish guidance for applying Nexus Framework principles throughout your own organization. You will walk through forming a Nexus, organizing work in a Nexus environment, managing and enabling a Nexus, and much more—all you need to succeed with Scrum in even the most challenging global projects.

Table of Contents:
Foreword xi Preface xiii Acknowledgments xvii About the Authors xix   Chapter 1: Introduction to Scaling Agile 1 Why Agile? 2 Why Scrum? 2 Why Nexus? 5 Simplicity Is the Key to Scaling 6   Chapter 2: Introducing Nexus 7 What Is Nexus? 7 Nexus Extends Scrum 8 The Nexus Integration Team 10 Nexus Events 12 Nexus Artifacts 17 What Do You Need to Get Started with Nexus? 19 Closing 20   Chapter 3: Forming a Nexus 21 Evolving a Cross-functional Team 24 Growing a Nexus 29 Forming the Nexus Integration Team 32 How Does a Nexus Work? 34   Chapter 4: Planning in Nexus 35 Consolidating and Validating the Product Backlog 35 Planning a Sprint in a Nexus 47 Closing 55   Chapter 5: Running a Sprint in Nexus 57 The Nexus Daily Scrum 58 Providing Transparency Inside and Outside the Nexus 61 Nexus Sprint Retrospective 68 Closing 73   Chapter 6: Evolving the Nexus 75 Optional Practice: Organizing Scrum Teams around Features 77 Optional Practice: Managing Code Like an Open-Source Project 78 Optional Practice: Organizing Teams around Personas 81 Expanding the Nexus Integration Team 83 Updating and Refining the Product Backlog 83 Nexus Sprint Planning, Revisited 85 The Nexus Daily Scrum, Take Two 86 The Nexus Sprint Review, Take Two 88 The Nexus Sprint Retrospective, Take Two 89 Closing 96   Chapter 7: The Nexus in Emergency Mode 97 Product Backlog Refinement, Take Three 99 Nexus Sprint Planning, Take Three 102 The Nexus Daily Scrum, Take Three 108 What to Do When the Nexus Starts to Struggle 110 The Nexus (Pseudo) Sprint Review and Retrospective 118 Closing 119   Chapter 8: Retrospective on the Nexus Journey 121 What Worked Well 122 Areas for Improvement 126 What’s Next? 132 Closing 133   Glossary 135 Index 143