Scrum, once celebrated as a model for agile work, is increasingly reaching its limits. Especially in the project business, it is clear that hardly any company works according to the textbook, and customers demand fixed deadlines and budgets. In Switzerland, the term agility was even voted the worst word of the year in the ICT industry in 2020. So has agility become obsolete? Or do we need new approaches to combine the flexibility of agile methods with the plannability of projects?
For a long time, agility was the beacon of hope for companies that wanted to work more flexibly and responsively in an ever faster moving world. At the centre of this was Scrum, one of the best-known agile methods. But today, around two decades after the introduction of Scrum, the magic seems to have gone. More and more people are saying, ‘Scrum is dead!’ – Especially in the project business, where fixed deadlines and clear budgets are required, the classic Scrum model is reaching its limits.
The problem is that Scrum relies on a high degree of flexibility. It allows for constant changes during a project, which in theory leads to better results. In practice, however, customers and stakeholders demand one thing above all: commitment. The concept of iterative development, in which there are no fixed schedules and the scope can change at any time, leads to dissatisfaction in project business. In Switzerland, ‘agility’ was even voted the worst word of the year in the ICT industry in 2020 – a clear sign that the application of agile methods often creates more problems than it solves.
The limits of agility in the project business
Scrum follows a strict framework that is often not feasible in practice. Companies that carry out projects for external customers are contractually bound to deadlines and budgets. These requirements are only partially compatible with an agile approach, in which planning is constantly being adjusted during the project. Customers expect fixed time frames and clear results, and this is precisely where Scrum often fails: it does not deliver fixed delivery dates or guaranteed results within a fixed budget. This leads to misunderstandings, frustration and, in the end, often to higher costs and longer project durations.
While Scrum still works in internal projects or in larger companies, it is becoming apparent that more and more projects are stalling or even failing because the flexible approach is not compatible with customer requirements. It is no coincidence that large companies can often still afford this additional expense, while smaller companies or project-based business models are looking for alternatives that balance predictability and flexibility.
New approaches for plannable agility
But does that mean that agility is dead? Not at all. What is needed are new approaches that combine the advantages of agile methods – flexibility and rapid adaptation – with the plannability of traditional methods. This is precisely where hybrid models come in, combining agile approaches with classic project management methods such as the waterfall model.
One example is Scrumban, a mixture of Scrum and Kanban. Scrumban retains the flexibility of agile working methods, but at the same time enables better control over the workflow and capacities. While Scrum relies heavily on timeboxes and sprints, Kanban uses a visual representation of the work steps to identify and eliminate bottlenecks at an early stage. The result: more control, fewer delays and better planning without completely giving up flexibility.
Another promising approach is the agile fixed-price model. This involves agreeing a fixed price and a clear time frame with the customer, within which the teams can work in an agile way. The advantage of this is that customers get the predictability they want, while the teams can continue to respond flexibly to changes. The result is a win-win situation that combines the strengths of both worlds.
Rethinking agility: more commitment, less chaos
While Scrum and similar models in their original form are being used less and less, it is clear that agile principles – adapted and further developed – continue to be relevant. Companies are looking for methods that offer them both the flexibility they need to respond to rapidly changing markets and the security of knowing that their projects are being carried out within a defined framework.
One promising approach is Disciplined Agile Delivery (DAD). This framework is based on agile methods such as Scrum, but adds essential aspects that are often neglected in practice, such as governance, risks and adherence to schedules. DAD offers teams a flexible framework while enabling better control over time and budget. Companies that use DAD report a significant reduction in cost overruns and better adherence to deadlines.
Lean development is also becoming increasingly important. It is based on the principle of working as efficiently as possible and without waste, and is particularly suitable for projects with tight schedules and limited budgets. Lean development focuses on avoiding unnecessary work steps and optimising processes so that the maximum is achieved from the available resources. In combination with agile principles, a model is created that combines flexibility with efficiency, thus meeting the requirements of modern project business.
Agility is not dead – it just has to reinvent itself
The statement ‘Scrum is dead!’ may sound provocative, but it reflects reality: Agile methods must continue to develop in order to meet the requirements of customers and markets. The classic Scrum model, which relies on endless iterations and flexibility, has become obsolete in many areas. Instead, new approaches are needed that combine the strengths of agility – flexibility and adaptability – with the requirements for clear time and budget specifications.
Hybrid models such as Scrumban, Agile-Fixed-Price or Disciplined Agile Delivery show that agility works in practice – if it is implemented correctly. The desire for flexibility and quick reactions remains, but in a world where commitment is becoming increasingly important, agility must be rethought.
The end of Scrum does not mean the end of agile working methods. Rather, it is the beginning of a new era in which agility and commitment go hand in hand to implement projects more efficiently and successfully. The journey towards a new agile future has only just begun.
