Understanding Scrum foundations

Scrum is built on 3 pillars of empirical process control:

• Transparency ensures everyone has visibility into the work and process.
• Inspection involves regularly checking progress and results.
• Adaptation means changing course based on what's learned.^[1]

Unlike traditional management approaches that assume work can be fully planned in advance, Scrum embraces complexity and uncertainty. It creates frequent feedback loops through timeboxed iterations (Sprints) that deliver working product increments, allowing teams to learn and adjust continuously. Healthy Scrum teams demonstrate self-organization, cross-functional collaboration, and shared commitment to Sprint Goals. In contrast, "Zombie Scrum" occurs when teams go through the motions without embodying agile values. They hold ceremonies without gaining their benefits, plan without adapting, or focus on output rather than outcomes. The most successful Scrum implementations combine this framework with complementary technical practices like automated testing, continuous integration, and sustainable coding standards that enable rapid, high-quality delivery.