Book Notes #32: Scrum and XP from the Trenches by Henrik Kniberg

Scrum and XP from the Trenches present an overview of real-life implementation and key lessons learned.

Title: Scrum and XP from the Trenches
Author: Henrik Kniberg
Year: 2015
Pages: 184

This book aims to give you a head start by providing a detailed down-to-earth account of how one Swedish company implemented Scrum and XP with a team of approximately 40 people and how they continuously improved their process over a year’s time.

Under the leadership of Henrik Kniberg they experimented with different team sizes, different sprint lengths, different ways of defining “done”, different formats for product backlogs and sprint backlogs, different testing strategies, different ways of doing demos, different ways of synchronizing multiple Scrum teams, etc. They also experimented with XP practices – different ways of doing continuous build, pair programming, test driven development, etc, and how to combine this with Scrum.

As a result, I gave this book a rating of 8.0/10.

For me, a book with a note 10 is one I consider reading again every year. Among the books I rank with 10, for example, is Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People.

Overview of Scrum and XP from the Trenches

As an overview of how one Swedish company implemented Scrum and XP for over a year, this book provides a down-to-earth account of how they continuously improved their process. 

It was under Henrik Kniberg’s leadership that they experimented with a variety of teams, sprint lengths, definitions of done, formats for product backlogs, sprint backlogs, testing strategies, demo methods, and ways to synchronize multiple Scrum teams.

They also experimented with XP practices, including continuous build, pair programming, test-driven development, and how to combine these with Scrum. 

For teams seeking investment funding, good Scrum execution is increasingly important.

Scrum is a time-boxed, iterative system that emphasizes teamwork and regular progress reviews.

XP is a software development methodology that emphasizes frequent deliveries, continuous testing, and customer involvement.

By using Scrum and XP together, teams can gain the benefits of both methodologies, such as the ability to prioritize tasks and deliver results quickly while also maintaining a focus on teamwork and regular progress reviews.

The book provides real-world examples and case studies from the author’s experience implementing Scrum and XP in different organizations and teams.

The book covers the challenges and pitfalls teams might encounter when implementing Scrum and XP and offers practical solutions to overcome them.

The book shows that Scrum and XP can be used together to deliver high-quality software on time, within budget, and with high customer satisfaction.

Kniberg’s book provides an overview of how his company implements Agile in its software development process.

There are many great ideas and details that can only be found in a book written by someone who has actually practised.

My Book Highlights & Quotes

“… But after doing Scrum for a year, I’m sufficiently impressed (and most people in my teams as well) that I will probably continue using Scrum by default in new projects whenever there isn’t a strong reason not to…”

In conclusion, “Scrum and XP from the Trenches” is a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding how Scrum and XP can be used together to deliver high-quality software on time, within budget, and with high customer satisfaction. 

The author, Henrik Kniberg, provides real-world examples and case studies that make it easy to understand and apply the concepts to your own team. 

By understanding how to overcome common challenges and pitfalls, teams can successfully implement Scrum and XP to achieve the best results. It’s a must-read for anyone looking to take their Agile journey to the next level.

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