Scrum: what it is and what it means

Scrum is a lightweight Agile framework, not prescriptive about tools, that structures work into fixed-length sprints. It has three roles (Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developers), five recurring events (Sprint, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Retrospective) and three artifacts, each clearly defined (Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Increment): each sprint produces a releasable incremental output. It is normally intended for a Scrum Team of 10 or fewer people in total, with high decision-making autonomy and unstable requirements.

Distinctive: lightweight Agile framework, not prescriptive about tools
Distinctive: fixed-length sprints
Distinctive: three roles
Distinctive: five recurring events
Distinctive: three artifacts
Essential: three roles
Essential: five recurring events
Essential: Scrum Team of 10 or fewer people
Essential: Sprint
Essential: releasable incremental output
Constant: Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developers
Constant: Scrum Team of 10 or fewer people

Glossary

Scrum

A lightweight Agile framework, not prescriptive about tools, that structures work into fixed-length sprints with three roles, five recurring events and defined artifacts.