Scrum Without Tears

This is not Scrum

Let's be clear from the outset: Scrum is defined by the rules outlined in the Scrum Guide. What I describe here does not abide by those rules, rather it undermines, dismisses, adapts and/or transcends them. Therefore, although it uses Scrum as a springboard, Scrum Without Tears is not Scrum.¹

So if it isn't Scrum, what is it? Scrum Without Tears mashes together several trusted approaches for engaging workers and solving complex problems. Here you will recognise aspects of Open Space Technology, Artful Making, Quaker business practices, Agile principles and the rhythms of Scrum.

My name for this approach is, quite simply, creative making. No uppercase. Unlike traditional practices used by the corporate world which are rooted in the engineering and manufacturing paradigms of the 20th century, creative making uses an artisan approach, a way of working far older than either, yet at the same time surprisingly modern, and ideally suited to solving the ever-more-complex problems we face in the 21st century. Agile opened the craftsmanship door for us. Now it is time to enter the space.

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¹ The relationship of Scrum Without Tears to Scrum could be considered similar to the relationship of Rugby football to Association football. The origins of rugby are famously attributed to a student at Rugby School in England named William Webb Ellis, who, in 1823, is said to have "with a fine disregard for the rules of football, as played in his time, first took the ball in his arms and ran with it" during a match.

Why another method?

Over the years Scrum, once described as "a simple approach to solve complex problems" has itself become something more like a complicated approach to solve simple problems. Used in the corporate IT world as yet another coercive approach to control workers and achieve compliance, Scrum is applied in many unnecessary situations, and probably 90% of the time sadly, and destructively misunderstood.

Product owners are junior business analysts with no decision-making responsibilities, tasked merely with writing 'user stories'; Scrum masters, now more commonly labelled 'delivery managers' are expected to police developers, to monitor and measure them; development teams are more siloed than cross functional, frequently failing to deliver value each sprint; and Scrum events are largely a waste of time, with no sense of purpose. With such anti-patterns, it is no wonder Scrum is more often considered a back-breaking burden, rather than the wings of freedom and engagement it was intended to be.

"Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify."
— Henry David Thoreau

The London Scrum Academy has chosen to move towards this simple, more direct, and more inclusive approach to Scrum due to what is perceived as unnecessary bloat to an elegant system, brought about by the framework being forced on workers who didn't ask for it, by outsiders who stand to gain financially from its imposition. The Agile movement grew from the grassroots of the corporate world to meet the needs of the workers, but to continue being useful it must be embraced by people at all levels of the adopting organisation.

Who should attend this workshop?

Although ultimately open to anyone who is frustrated or disengaged with their work, to begin with Scrum Without Tears targets Scrum practitioners and those who support and champion an Agile approach. The more members of an organisation who learn about the true nature of Scrum, the greater the likelihood of success—and the fewer tears!

Scrum Team Members

Whether you are a product owner, Scrum master, coder, tester, designer or any other kind of developer, you are part of a team—small, a self-managing, cross-functional team to be precise. If you are not working collaboratively with all your other team members, and establishing collaborative relationships with those you serve, then you are doing this wrong, or at best sub-optimally. Discover, in just a single day, how to turn this around: how to move from frustrating compliance to engaged responsiveness.

Managers and Executives

If you are not getting the value you felt you were promised when you adopted this way of working, please pause before throwing it out. Scrum is probably the simplest and most effective way of delivering high-quality products based on actual user need, and doing so regularly, with low overhead. If you currently don't experience this, please come along to learn how simple it is to change what you currently do to what you are truly capable of doing. Doing Scrum well is not about adding anything; it is only about stripping away all that is superflous. Find out how to do less in order to achieve more.

HR, Sales, Marketing, Facilities...

If you work with, or for Scrum teams your understanding and support is vital. Consider learning more about the spirit of Scrum, so you can collaborate more meaningfully with developers, product owners and Scrum masters.

About the Facilitator

Discovering XP in 1998 set Tobias Mayer on a journey of discovery into all things Agile. He has been practicing Scrum since 2003, and in 2005 was among the first twenty-five people, worldwide, certified to teach Scrum by Ken Schwaber, its co-founder.

Skilled as a developer, tester, engineering manager, and creative director Tobias also has a background in publishing, theatre arts, and community service work. He skilfully blends this unusual mix of experiences when teaching Scrum, creating a lively and engaging experience.

Tobias is the author of the highly acclaimed, and somewhat controversial book, The People's Scrum, is co-presenter of The 800lb Agile Gorilla, and has written extensively on leadership, citizenship and corporate transformation. He also speaks regularly at Agile conferences and has been interviewed for many Agile podcasts and videocasts.

Participant reviews of the pilot workshop

"Over the years, I have seen too many people add too many Agile Processes, Agile Tools, Agile Plans, Agile Protocols etc. to what we do. This workshop gets back to the simplicity of what Scrum is, reconnecting it to the agile values and principles. It strips away the noise and exposes Scrum and agile in their simple and true form. It was a refreshing three evenings." — Giovanni Tagliarini

"This workshop was a journey to rediscover agility by challenging the status quo and, of course, shedding some Scrum tears with other Scrum practitioners! It was an incredible opportunity to gather with a global community of Scrum practitioners, where we explored agile roots in the context of product, customers, people, and organizations, and shared inspiring stories about the patterns of Scrum from our lives. Tobias doesn't just teach Scrum, he inspires you to live it!" — Natasha Baisiwala

"This workshop is a powerful return to the roots of Agile and Scrum. If you're looking to cut through the noise and reconnect with what truly matters—without the burden of heavy processes—this workshop is for you. The sessions were rich with deep discussions and practical insights. Tobias is an exceptional trainer who brings clarity, wisdom, and a refreshing human touch to the learning experience. Highly recommended!" — Savita Pahuja

 

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