Band-aids are supposed to be temporary. You put one on, it does its job, and then you take it off. But in organizations, band-aids have a funny way of sticking around. Workarounds become “the way we do things.” Temporary fixes turn into permanent architecture. Ineffective processes survive Sprint after Sprint. That’s technical debt. Technical debt isn’t always bad. In fact, sometimes it’s exactly the right choice. If you’re testing a new idea, exploring market demand, or run

In my practice, I get the chance to talk to a lot of different individuals from many organizations. Here are some of the things that really stood out to me about 2025. 1) The Product Model One of the brightest spots of 2025 is that organizations really are beginning to adopt the Product Model — and this is where they are getting the most value. For too long, organizations have been adopting Agile but keeping a Waterfall mindset. In the misguided name of “efficiency,” they sep

At Rebel Scrum, we love discussing ideas and learning what works for our readers. Here ’s our list of the 10 most popular Rebel Scrum articles, by traffic, in 2025. Is there something that you would like to hear about next year? Contact us  to share your article ideas. Video: Characteristics of a Great Product Owner Article: Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing for Agile teams Article: How the 12 Principles in the Agile Manifesto Work in Real Life Article: How to cr

New Years is a time to pause and reflect - and that applies to Scrum teams as well. So why not plan a New Years-themed Retrospective this year?

If we dictate too much up front, we rob Developers of the chance to improve the idea. We also rob ourselves of the opportunity to get a better outcome.

One of the most powerful tools Agile leaders have is also one of the simplest: asking great questions.

One of the most powerful — and least discussed — benefits of Agile is that it exposes the problems that have been holding us back all along.

Scrum is built on empiricism —the idea that we learn by inspecting results and adapting based on what we discover. Each Scrum event is an opportunity for learning something - did they use the feature we delivered, or not? Did the technology work the way we expected? If not, why not? The Sprint Review is the moment when the Scrum Team and stakeholders come together to inspect the Increment and discuss what to do next. So, what happens when you skip it? You Lose a Critical F

When it comes to advancing your Scrum skills or preparing your organization for an agile transformation, the quality of your training matters. At Rebel Scrum , we don’t just teach Scrum—we bring it to life. Our courses are immersive, activity-driven, and delivered by an instructor with real-world experience guiding agile transformations across organizations of all sizes. Whether you’re completely new to Scrum or looking to deepen your expertise, here’s why Rebel Scrum is the

The Product Backlog is the single source of requirements for a Scrum Team. While teams may represent Product Backlog items in many different ways, clarity matters — especially when translating requirements into working software. One complementary practice that many Scrum Teams use to bring clarity to expectations is writing acceptance criteria in the Gherkin format.

I am often asked whether a Developer can support more than one Scrum Team.

The goal isn’t to maximize the number of teams per Scrum Master—it’s to maximize team performance and delivery of value. The right number is the one that ensures teams are supported, impediments are removed, and continuous improvement actually happens.

I am a big fan of the annual State of Agile  report from Digital.ai . Each year, the report looks at things like: Why organizations adopt Agile What frameworks they use What challenges they’re facing But this year was different. For the first time in its 18-year history, Digital.ai didn’t ask about frameworks. They didn’t ask why teams choose Agile. They didn’t even discuss (much) about scaling approaches. Instead, the entire report turned its spotlight on something else en

I once worked in an organization where needed to grow from one Scrum team, staffing up into (eventually) many teams supporting one cross-functional product. I suggested that as new staffing joined us, we should let them self-organize into their own Scrum teams.

What should you do with the Sprint schedule for the holidays? Ask the Scrum team!

Take 10 minutes to think about your day.

Interview questions for the Scrum Master

The Sprint Review is the Product Owner's most valuable event. It’s an opportunity for the Scrum Team and its stakeholders to discuss what was done, and to brainstorm where to go next. When the Sprint Review goes well, it feels like a collaborative workshop. When it doesn’t, it’s a one-way communication that nobody hears. Useless.

Why you should be using flow metrics instead of points to forecast delivery dates in Scrum.

When people first step into the Scrum Master accountability, they often focus entirely on the Scrum Team. That’s understandable—after all, the Scrum Guide defines the Scrum Master as accountable for the Scrum Team’s effectiveness.