The Scrum Guide defines scrum methodology and has a deep-rooted correlation to the military. Co-author Jeff Sutherland, a US Military Academy West Point Graduate and Vietnam war Veteran, shaped Scrum’s core values (commitment, courage, focus, openness, and respect) and principles (transparency, inspection, and adaption) on military fundamentals.
Scrum is a widely adopted management framework where decisions are based on observation, experience, and experimentation. Teams that utilize scrum seamlessly self-organize and work towards a common goal of solving complex problems cost-effectively and sustainably. Much like a sports team practicing for a big match, scrum practices allow teams to learn from experience and adapt to change.
While scrum is implemented at a product development team level, agile focuses on the entire organization, including its leadership and company culture. Agile/Scrum practitioners leverage both simultaneously to optimize their processes for continuous improvement, empowerment, and collaboration.
We connected the dots between agile/scrum and Military ethos and how, when united, technology experts deliver unparalleled technology solutions. Here’s the breakdown:
🎖️ In the military, adapting quickly to rapidly changing situations is essential. Soldiers frequently operate in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) environment, often referred to as the ‘fog of war.’ They must pivot on a dime and make initial plans with limited information, which evolves as more data become available.
🎖️ Motivated teams are crucial, and leaders earn respect through shared experiences. They spend time with their troops, face challenges together, and inspire their team to overcome obstacles. Military motivation draws on patriotism, regiment, and team history, as well as charismatic leadership and organizational loyalty.
🎖️ The military’s fundamental organizational unit is a small team, such as an Infantry Section or Artillery Detachment. These small units progressively combine into larger units with joint forces elements, like Theatre Commands. The basic unit remains a small team, preserving its identity as the organization grows.
🎖️ Military units allocate a great deal of attention to planning, following defined templates, and continually refining their plans, aka ‘War Gaming.’ They create contingency plans for different scenarios, maintaining high flexibility and adapting to evolving requirements. Teams self-organize their strategies using the OODA loop— observe, orient, decide, and act.
🎖️ The teams are self-organized, which enables them to execute missions independently with limited or no oversight. At the end of every mission, the team huddles for a debrief, which is vital for extracting valuable lessons that can benefit other teams and future missions. Like missions, a typical day in the military starts with a brief, such as a daily team feedback session or a situational report from subunit commanders.
Our country’s servicemembers and Veterans are natural agile/scrum practitioners. They practice the fundamentals daily in everything they do, making them and Blue Phoenix special and unique. Regardless of the challenge or problem, its practitioners get the job done on time, with quality, transparency, and user adoption. #veterans #militarymindset #agile #scrum #technology #SkillBridge #DODskillbridge
About Blue Phoenix
Blue Phoenix is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) technology company that delivers unparalleled end-to-end technology and business outcomes to federal clients. A Joint Venture formed in 2023 between Phoenix Oversight Group, LLC (Mentor), and Blue Bay Business Delivery, LLC (Protégé), we specialize in delivering technology and program leadership excellence. Blue Phoenix exists to “serve those who serve,” providing our country’s Veterans an opportunity to leverage their experience and leadership in the civilian space. Blue Phoenix’s combination of technology expertise and military fundamentals is the cornerstone of the world-class IT solutions we deliver to federal agencies.
