Key Points

• The transition from Waterfall to Scrum should take place gradually, using planned phases to implement the learning and training.
• A pilot project is a fantastic way to get your team accustomed to the workflow of Scrum.
• Continuous improvement is a regular part of Scrum and is vital to the success of future projects.

Going from Waterfall to Scrum is a tall order, but is easily achieved with the right mindset and approach. You can’t just drop and turn tail, you’ve got to ease into things to the best of your ability. Scrum is a flexible approach to project management, putting people well before any processes or technology. This contrasts sharply with the structured, rigid approach of Waterfall.

That said, swapping from Waterfall to Scrum isn’t impossible. With some of the practical strategies we’re detailing today, you should be well on your way to planning Sprints, managing your backlog, and ultimately delivering quality deliverables to your customers in no time.

Preparation

The first phase of any planning to transition from Waterfall to Scrum is going to take around a month or so, with 4 weeks being the upper end of the planning and prep necessary. This is a crucial step for guaranteeing the viability and overall readiness of your team when it comes to switching to Scrum. Given that both project management approaches are so wildly different, there is going to be some growing pains and that is expected.

The early stages of this transition should be marked by laying down the educational groundwork. This helps get the team up to speed and also gets leadership on board. If everyone isn’t embodying the ideals and mindset of the Scrum way of doing things, the implementation of Scrum on a wider scale is essentially doomed to failure.

This is where you’ll want to run a trial or pilot project, to get your teams used to the workflow and structure of your typical Scrum projects. It’ll also introduce everyone to some of the key metrics and tools in use when approaching any projects using Scrum.

Selecting the Right Project

Pilot projects are a make-or-break deal when it comes to implementing new project management approaches. As such, it is key to select an achievable project with clearly defined parameters and expectations. This operates in a drastically different manner when compared to the very refined structure of your typical Waterfall project, but it has distinct advantages.

Much of the early weeks of your transition from Waterfall to Scrum are going to take place over this project, as everyone learns how the methodology works and gets used to everything expected from Sprints to backlogs to milestones.

There is a lot to absorb, hence why I suggest taking it slow and easy for the first month or so as you get used to the workflow. With time and practice, this should become second nature, and you’ll be breezing through new projects in a year.

First Steps

The early days of any new methodology’s implementation are going to be fraught with uncertainty. As such, I’d recommend working with a solid change management strategy to make sure there is minimal resistance. Aside from that, you’re going to be introducing your team to an initial, basic backlog. This will run down all the expected tasks to mark a project as complete.

Additionally, this is where you can start familiarizing everyone with Sprints, which are a common part of the Scrum way of doing things. Teams should be cross-functional to maximize the potential for communication and collaboration, which are integral parts of the entire process.

You’ll also want an experienced Scrum Master. If you don’t have anyone experienced in the practice, don’t be afraid to look for third-party sources. Most municipalities have consulting firms that center around introducing Agile and Scrum practices. Looking for internal talent can come after the growing pains are done and over.

Execution and Learning

The next eight or so weeks of the transition period from Waterfall to Scrum is going to be where the rubber meets the road. You’ll be integrating what you’ve learned into a bona fide project intended to deliver a completed deliverable to a customer. With any luck, the first four weeks have gone smoothly and left your team accustomed to the Scrum way of life.

Growing pains are expected, so don’t fret too much if some teams are lagging on the education portion of things. This is where advanced training and further acclimatization of the principles behind Scrum are going to be a valuable and expected need for most teams.

Your first true project is going to take time, so don’t try to rush it. The first phase essentially functions as a teaser for what things are going to be like going forward, and you’ve still got some crucial elements that haven’t been accounted for just yet.

Sprints

At this point, you should feel comfortable introducing the planning and conducting of Sprints to your team. Allow them the space to ask questions at your Sprint planning sessions, and focus more on the customer’s wants and needs of a given project before setting up.

Further, you’ll want to conduct daily meetings, or Scrums as this helps to keep everyone on the same page. This serves the additional benefit of informing other teams of the progress of current Sprints. Daily Scrums are just part of the Scrum experience, and something you’ll want to get well acquainted with as you start getting used to the workflow.

Collaboration

Scrum is very keen on collaboration and communication, and this is where you’ll start wanting to encourage this sort of thinking. Collaboration between cross-functional teams is ideal, but not entirely necessary. Essentially, you’re wanting to pull from the wealth of experience on offer from your team to make sure you’re delivering consistent and regular quality.

Setting the expectation for collaboration and communication early on is a fantastic way of making sure your team is used to the practice. Nominally, you’ll want to make sure everyone feels safe to communicate their ideas, give genuine feedback, and voice any concerns that may arise during any of the Sprints in question.

Retrospectives

You don’t consistently improve without learning from past experiences. Retrospectives are a common part of any Scrum project, and something you’ll want to foster as you start building toward your organization’s future. Ultimately, retrospectives serve the vital purpose of seeing what works and what doesn’t, invaluable information regardless of the targeted project.

This allows your team to see where things can be tweaked. They’ll also identify pain points and start paving the path toward a cycle of continuous improvement.

Continuous Improvement

With a few Sprints under your belt, it’s time to complete the transition from Waterfall to Scrum. From here, you should have plenty of data points to review and deconstruct to push forward toward other projects. The cycle of improvement is never done in Scrum, and it’s something you’ll want to encourage going forward.

Learn from the Initial Steps

Projects in Scrum get easier the more you’re accustomed to the tools, techniques, and nomenclature. There’s a lot to soak in, but the first 12 weeks of your journey likely have quite a bit in terms of overall learning to glean from. Those initial steps are invaluable tools for constructing future efforts and allow you to hone in on which members of your team might benefit from advanced training.

Take It Slow

There’ll be plenty of time to blaze away on future projects, but the key to successful Scrum implementation now is much like cooking a good stew. You want to go low and slow, take it easy, and pay attention to the data flowing in. You’ve likely established solid metrics, which any well-versed Scrum Master can guide.

The key takeaway is to stay consistent, but don’t push forward without understanding what has been accomplished in the interim.

Refinement and the Pursuit of Continuous Improvement

You’ll spend quite a bit of time hacking away at things to see what works and what doesn’t. Don’t get discouraged at this point, this is a normal part of the process. Refining and continually improving your workflow is just part of Scrum. If things aren’t sticking, then take a step back and look at where your bottlenecks are.

Other Useful Tools and Concepts

Looking to learn a little more on your morning scroll? You might want to look over our guide on the most common mistakes in Hoshin Kanri deployment. Hoshin Kanri is a fantastic way of achieving your strategic goals, but without the right mindset, things can falter.

Additionally, you might want to take a closer look at our recent piece on how to measure success in your Scrum projects. I touched briefly today on the importance of paying attention to the data and metrics available, and this guide covers some of the basics.

Conclusion

Transitioning from Waterfall to Scrum doesn’t have to be a difficult process. It does require quite a bit of legwork to successfully implement, but that’s to be expected. With the strategies detailed today, you should be well on your way toward a basic and functional implementation of Scrum.

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