Scrum QuickStart Guide

By: ClydeBank Business

Narrated by: Lucy Vest

Length: 2 hrs

Publisher's Summary

Completing a project as a team is one the fundamental elements of the current professional climate. Getting internal and external projects, ranging from the IT sector to the construction development, to work together efficiently and effectively is a common challenge faced by almost every organization. Fortunately, management architects have developed multiple strategies to tackle projects. One of the most highly adopted is the scrum method.

Differing greatly from the traditional "waterfall" or "relay" approach to project management methodology, scrum emphasizes the importance of a cross-functional team that pushes forward together to a collective goal - the project's success. Implementing such tactics as "daily scrums" in which all members of the team are held accountable for their accomplishments, current tasks, and potential obstacles, scrum attempts to create a real "team" amongst the members so that individuals must move forward together. This is similar to what occurs within a scrum on the rugby field.

This holistic approach doesn't just embrace the importance of progressing as a team. It also raises several important question that highlight potential inefficiencies within an organization, specifically related to resource allocation, accountability, and task management. Not to be overlooked, the approach taken even from the smallest projects within an organization can ultimately define overall success.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2015 ClydeBank Media LLC (P)2015 ClydeBank Media LLC

Must have Project management methods and practices

If you're a software developer or project manager then at some point you're going to come across the phrases "agile" and "scrum".

I think I ought to lay out a little disclaimer that I am a proponent of scrum processes and agile methods in general. As a software developer of 30 years experience I've been exposed to almost all the popular (and unpopular) productivity and management methods you can shake a stick at when it comes to getting software from the "good idea" to "being used and loved" stages. Some I hated, some I loved but didn't work and, despite a few enforced sojourns from it, I keep coming back to Scrum. I also use the pomodoro technique but that's not covered in this book.

First the negatives; the free review copy I received contained several audio errors where the narration either faded out or repeated words or sentences. A few other people had mentioned this on their reviews too. I discussed this with Clydebank directly and a new, corrected version of the audio will be replacing the version I listened to. A brief look at their responses to review comments should make it clear they are fairly responsive to criticism and appear to value customer service - something they actually reiterate in the audio too. Pretty unique in the audiobook world I think and an admirable quality. Top marks for this.

Now the raft of positives; a superb book which thoroughly covers what Scrum is, why it's worth adopting along with quotes and case studies to back up this suggestion. If you've read or listened to "Scrum: The Art of doing twice the work in half the time" which is written by John Sutherland the original author of scrum then Clydebank's Scrum quickstart guide is an excellent adjunct to this. The Scrum QSG goes much more into how to actually *do* Scrum rather than just *why* Scrum is a good idea. I'd definitely recommend getting both the book from J Sutherland and the Clydebank book as the two complement one another quite nicely.

A nice touch for this book is the inclusion of access to a PDF diagram which adds as a visual aid to the text and audio. I like this idea - it gives a bird's eye view of the content and is a nice easy-to-consume adjust which enhances the content of the actual book in a simple bite-sized chunk.

Lucy Vest's narration is at a good pace and her British accent is clear with a delivery that allows the listener to absorb the fairly technical content without listener fatigue creeping in.

All in all - a book to get if you are interested in project management, especially in the software development world or wider IT industry.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Good refresher if you already know what Scrum is

Note: I received a free copy of this for this review.

If you knew what Scrum was this book would be a really good way to refresh the material. But if you don't, it really fails to provide sufficient detail to allow you to use it. It was also presented in a fairly disjointed manner. For instance, the best part of the book, where it discusses the principals of Aglie is totally unrelated to the instance of Scrum and is given little introduction or context.

The case studies are fun pictures of how implementing any system might be implemented and the limitations and tricks, but their depth is insufficient to fully replicate what they are saying.

The book as a whole isn't bad, it's well written and most parts are interesting, I just think Scrum is too complicated a process to be introduced in such a short, non-technical work.

The reader is competent, though has some long awkward pauses in the beginning, she hits her flow near the end. Also she doesn't inject much emotion into the work.

Good Suppliment if You're Taking a Class

What made the experience of listening to Scrum QuickStart Guide the most enjoyable?

The content itself is really relevant to the course I'm taking this semester about software development management. I'm the kind who learns easier though listening and this audiobook really helps.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Scrum QuickStart Guide?

The way it goes into the practical applications of scrum

Which scene was your favorite?

The whole audiobook was pretty short. I can't pick out a single favorite part as i listened to it in one sitting, absorbing the information. It did make me understand more on how relevant it is to making software development more efficient.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

Got a free copy for review from reddit

it's okay

Would you try another book from ClydeBank Business and/or Lucy Vest?

No, she needs a better microphone and needs to turn off her laptop's notification sounds which were recorded alongside her voice.

What did you like best about this story?

It's concise

What did you take away from Scrum QuickStart Guide that you can apply to your work?

I like how it is a brief introduction to Scrum. In the first hour you learn about the basics of Agile and Scrum, the second half is comprised of examples.

Good info and helpful

Where does Scrum QuickStart Guide rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Of the few I've read, it was very useful.

Any additional comments?

This was a very good audio book. It was informative and gave me some new info.
I'm not a big fan of the narrator, but the info itself is great. Provided a good background on Lean and Project Mgt, and went quickly from there. I received this item at a discount in exchange for an honest review.

Important Tool To Learn About Scrum

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Sure. It explains about Scrum quite well.

What did you like best about this story?

What to avoid while deployment of Scrum in your organization

Which character – as performed by Lucy Vest – was your favorite?

Scrum

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

no it is not an emotional story.

Any additional comments?

thanks!

Wonderfully written a joy to listen to.

This quick guide is a must for anyone new or seasoned. It covers all aspects and give great samples of projects using scrum.

A lot of ground to cover.

Where does Scrum QuickStart Guide rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I think this was a pretty decent book, but I can't help but think that it could've been somewhat condensed. I do love the flow and the book's thoroughness.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Scrum QuickStart Guide?

I really enjoyed the comparison of American football/rugby. It really created a good visual for understanding how Scrum works.

Which character – as performed by Lucy Vest – was your favorite?

As always, Lucy Vest does an excellent job narrating. Her voice is soothing, yet has a good air of authority and enunciation. The flow was easy to follow, but did not drag.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

This audio book is extremely dense for the amount of time it takes, and I had to take breaks. There's a lot of jargon and specific information. I feel like it is important to take breaks to review PDF document and let the information sink in.

Any additional comments?

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest assessment of this book.

What is Scrum?

I received this product in exchange for my honest review. Not a lot of people that Scrum is a methodology for software development. If it's something you are looking for, then this would be a great starting point. It's a very cut and dry audiobook, very textbook feel, but very well structured and has all the core information.

Clear, Prompt & Professional

If you could sum up Scrum QuickStart Guide in three words, what would they be?

This is the only Scrum course I have taken and it provided enough information for me to pass the Professional Scrum Master 1 course on my first attempt! The test was moderately difficult but I felt well prepared. Its One of the better courses I've taken. Gets you to see the purpose behind scrum. Knowing what it is for makes me want to use it. I received this product in exchange for my honest unbiased review. Overall the course and author - clear, prompt, professional, provokes deeper understanding.

What did you like best about this story?

Provokes deeper understanding of scrum.

What about Lucy Vest’s performance did you like?

Clear, prompt and professional.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, Gets you to see the purpose behind scrum.

Any additional comments?

Its One of the better courses I've taken.