Agile in general, and Scrum in particular, have become increasingly popular in the last few years. Many organizations have implemented the Scrum Process Framework, and hired dozens of Scrum Masters and Scrum Coaches to implement it.

The Scaled Agile Framework includes what it calls the Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF) method of prioritizing jobs. I like the method itself, because it is deterministic and seems to mathematically prioritize into an order that makes sense.

In The Scrum Guide Ken and Jeff write that Scrum is simple to understand, but extremely difficult to master. The entire guide is only 16 pages long, including the title and acknowledgements pages. This speaks to its simplicity. The difficulty comes from implementing it in a changing world. What works today may not work tomorrow. What worked with one team, may not work with another. Using Scrum is a constant battle with change; being, well, agile.

It is no secret that I am pro-Scrum. Scrum just seems to fit better with my personality. I enjoy working on a team that is agile, self-directed, and internally motivated. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t times in which the waterfall methodology can’t be successfully used. In fact, I submit that there are some projects that would be better served by using waterfall rather than Scrum.

In Scrum training I was taught that Scrum teams are small, self-organizing, egalitarian, cross-functional, and atomic. There is no manager responsible for the team. The team is responsible for the team. When in doubt, I was taught, ask the team. While, in traditional, waterfall projects, a project or portfolio manager manages the team.