Large-Scale Scrum

Large-Scale Scrum is regular Scrum applied to large-scale development. For example, for one product group with 500 people. One key message of Scrum is to avoid a cookbook or recipe of defined process and realize that each team and each product will have to inspect and adapt their own Scrum adoption, which will evolve Sprint by Sprint. Therefore the suggestions offered here are no more than that--suggestions.

Bas Vodde and I have several years and many product groups of experience in adopting Scrum on multi-hundred-person large, multisite, and offshore product development. This tips suggested here reflect that experience.

One tipping point in large-scale Scrum is when it is necessary to add more support to the Product Owner. One Product Owner can directly interact with perhaps five or 10 teams (at least, the way we help set things up); beyond that there is a need for a set of Area Product Owners as well. The following two framework examples for large-scale Scrum reflect this basic variation point in the organizational structure.

Organizational Structure for Large-Scale Scrum for up to five or team tens with one Product Owner

Organizational Structure for Large-Scale Scrum for over five or team tens with one Product Owner and several Area Product Owners