In this article, we will summarily traverse the timeline of Scrum’s and Agile’s historical development. This understanding is critical to every A-CSM aspirant as it explains the fundamental principles that guide Agile and Scrum frameworks currently.

Table of Contents

Agile and Scrum emerged as a response to the traditional Waterfall Model that dominated the software development industry till the 1990s.

The Waterfall Model, with predefined, sequential processes, left little room for flexibility or iterations.

The journey towards Agile and Scrum started in the early 1980s, with the inception of Rapid Application Development (RAD), a software development methodology that introduced iterations and client feedback into the development process. However, RAD was still not satisfactory; it was perceived as unstructured and chaotic due to a lack of a proper framework.

The 1990s saw a surge of Lightweight Methodologies, such as Crystal Clear, Adaptive Software Development (ASD), and Feature Driven Development (FDD). Around the same time, in 1995, Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland developed Scrum, a practical project management methodology with short iteration cycles (Sprints) and continuous customer feedback.

The breakthrough point came in 2001, with the creation of the Agile Manifesto.

A group of seventeen software developers, including Schwaber and Sutherland, convened at a ski resort in Utah, U.S.A, and brainstormed a new approach to software development. The discussion gave birth to the Agile Manifesto – four key values and twelve guiding principles that shaped Agile Development.

In the same year, Schwaber and Mike Cohn co-founded the Scrum Alliance, an organization dedicated to educating and certifying Scrum practitioners. The world saw the first version of the Scrum Guide – the definitive guide to Scrum – in 2010. It’s updated and maintained by the creators of Scrum, Schwaber and Sutherland, and forms the theoretical base for the Scrum Master Certification.

By 2015, over 12 million people were using Scrum worldwide, with the Scrum Alliance having certified over 450,000 practitioners.

The evolution of Agile and Scrum can be summarized in the following table:

Time Period Events
Until the 1980s Dominance of Waterfall Model
Early 1980s Emergence of RAD
1990s Emergence of Lightweight methodologies
1995 Creation of Scrum
2001 Creation of the Agile Manifesto
2001 Founding of the Scrum Alliance
2010 Release of the Scrum Guide
2015 12 million global Scrum users

As an aspirant for the Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM) exam, these events form the foundation of your understanding of Agile and Scrum.

Much has evolved since the Agile Manifesto was first declared in 2001, but the core principles have held strong. Today, Scrum is widely recognized as an effective framework for handling complex projects, often beyond the software development field. It enables teams to deliver high-value products through adaptive solutions, fast feedback, and iterative progress.

Practice Test

True or False: The first reference to Scrum in a professional setting was made in a 1986 Harvard Business Review article by Takeuchi and Nonaka.

  • True
  • False

Answer: True

Explanation: The Scrum framework was first referred to in the context of product development in Takeuchi and Nonaka’s 1986 Harvard Business Review article.

Who among the following is not considered one of the creators of Scrum?

  • a) Jeff Sutherland
  • b) Ken Schwaber
  • c) Mike Beedle
  • d) Dave Thomas

Answer: d) Dave Thomas

Explanation: The Scrum framework was initially developed by Jeff Sutherland, Ken Schwaber, and Mike Beedle.

True or False: The term “agile” was first introduced into software development in the Agile Manifesto in

  • True
  • False

Answer: True

Explanation: The term “agile” was indeed officially brought into software development with the Agile Manifesto in 2001, building on previous methods and frameworks like Scrum.

Who among the following is not considered one of the signatories of the Agile Manifesto?

  • a) Martin Fowler
  • b) Brian Marick
  • c) Jeff Sutherland
  • d) Erik Meijer

Answer: d) Erik Meijer

Explanation: Erik Meijer was not a signatory of the Agile Manifesto. The other three individuals were among the seventeen who authored it.

Multiple select: Which of the following are considered the 4 main values of the Agile Manifesto?

  • a) Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
  • b) Working software over comprehensive documentation
  • c) Customer satisfaction over contract negotiation
  • d) Responding to change over following a plan

Answer: a) Individuals and interactions over processes and tools, b) Working software over comprehensive documentation, d) Responding to change over following a plan

Explanation: The main values of the Agile Manifesto are indeed individuals and interactions, working software, customer collaboration, and responding to change.

True or False: Scrum is a method within the agile philosophy that was developed after the Agile Manifesto.

  • True
  • False

Answer: False

Explanation: Scrum was developed in the nineties, which is before the Agile Manifesto was published in

In what year was the Scrum Guide first published?

  • a) 2001
  • b) 2005
  • c) 2010
  • d) 2013

Answer: c) 2010

Explanation: The first version of the Scrum Guide, authored by Scrum co-creators Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland, was published in

True or False: The Scrum framework was initially developed specifically for software development.

  • True
  • False

Answer: False

Explanation: Scrum was designed as a framework for managing product development, not specifically software development.

Multiple select: Which of the following are considered pillars of Scrum?

  • a) Empiricism
  • b) Flexibility
  • c) Transparency
  • d) Inspection
  • e) Adaptation

Answer: a) Empiricism, c) Transparency, d) Inspection, e) Adaptation

Explanation: Empiricism, transparency, inspection, and adaptation are known to be the foundational pillars of Scrum.

True or False: Scrum originated from Lean manufacturing.

  • True
  • False

Answer: False

Explanation: While Scrum does have some roots in Lean thinking, it’s more directly influenced by the empirical process control theory.

The “Daily Scrum” meeting originated from which previous concept?

  • a) Stand-up Comedy
  • b) Daily Stand-up in XP (extreme programming)
  • c) Morning Roll-call
  • d) None of the above

Answer: b) Daily Stand-up in XP (extreme programming)

Explanation: The concept of a brief, daily meeting to discuss the day’s work originated from the practice of extreme programming (XP).

True or False: The Scrum Alliance was the first official organization to offer Scrum certification.

  • True
  • False

Answer: True

Explanation: The Scrum Alliance was founded in 2002 and was indeed the first organization to offer such certifications.

Which of the following is NOT true about the history of Agile and Scrum?

  • a) Scrum was officially defined in “Agile Software Development with Scrum” in
  • b) The Agile Manifesto was written during a meeting in Snowbird, Utah.
  • c) Jeff Sutherland used Scrum at Easel Corporation in the early 1990s.
  • d) Ken Schwaber introduced Scrum to the broad public at the OOPSLA conference in

Answer: a) Scrum was officially defined in “Agile Software Development with Scrum” in

Explanation: The book “Agile Software Development with Scrum” which officially defined Scrum was published in 2002, not

True or False: The Scrum Guide has been updated regularly since its first publication in

  • True
  • False

Answer: True

Explanation: The Scrum Guide has been revised and updated several times since its initial 2010 release to ensure its relevance and application in today’s dynamic work environment.

Which of the following certification bodies does NOT provide certification for Scrum?

  • a) Scrum Alliance
  • b) Scrum.org
  • c) International Scrum Institute
  • d) World Health Organization

Answer: d) World Health Organization

Explanation: The World Health Organization does not provide Scrum certification, as it is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health.

Interview Questions

Who is considered the founding father of agile development?

The Agile Manifesto, which serves as the foundation of agile development, was co-authored by 17 people in 2001, therefore, it would not be accurate to pinpoint a single person as the founding father of agile development.

What event marked the beginning of Scrum?

The beginning of Scrum is typically traced back to a 1986 Harvard Business Review article entitled “The New Product Development Game” by Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka. They introduced the term ‘Scrum’ as well as many concepts that became integral to the development methodology.

When and where was the Agile Manifesto developed?

The Agile Manifesto was developed in February 2001 during a gathering of seventeen software developers at a ski resort in Snowbird, Utah, USA.

What were some initial software development methods before Scrum and Agile were introduced?

Prior to the introduction of Scrum and Agile, Waterfall methodology was the prevalent model for software development. Other methods used included Spiral model and Rapid Application Development (RAD).

What key event took place in the early 1990s that contributed to the development of Scrum?

Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schwaber, two software professionals, independently developed their own similar approaches to product development which was later combined and formalized into Scrum in the early 1990s.

What is the significance of the year 1995 in the history of Scrum?

In 1995, Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schwaber presented their jointly developed Scrum methodology to the Object-Oriented Programming, Systems, Languages & Applications (OOPSLA) conference held in Austin, Texas.

When was Scrum Alliance founded and why?

The Scrum Alliance was founded in 2001 to further the adoption and practice of Scrum through certification courses and community engagement.

When was the first Certified Scrum Master(CSM) course offered?

The first Certified Scrum Master (CSM) course was offered by Scrum Alliance in 2002 to create a community of knowledgeable Scrum professionals.

What spurred the development of Scrum’s advanced certifications such as A-CSM?

The development of Scrum’s advanced certifications like A-CSM was spurred by the growing need for Scrum Masters with a deeper understanding and competency in the Scrum Framework, and to better serve the growing complexity of team dynamics in software development.

How has Scrum evolved over the years?

Over the years, Scrum has been reiterated and refined through field tests by many teams across the world. It has evolved from a simple framework for project management into a comprehensive approach to organizational change. Evolution in Scrum has resulted in slight adjustments to the roles, events, and artifacts of the framework, but the underlying principles and values have remained the same.

When was the Scrum Guide first published and who were the authors?

The first Scrum Guide was published in 2010 by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland, co-creators of the Scrum framework.

How often is the Scrum Guide updated?

The Scrum Guide is updated as and when needed, based on feedback and input from the Scrum community around the world. So far, the guide has seen revisions in 2011, 2013, 2016, and 2020.

When was the A-CSM certification introduced by the Scrum Alliance?

The Scrum Alliance introduced the Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM) certification in 2017.

What was the motivation behind creating the Agile Manifesto?

The Agile Manifesto was created to address the challenges and inadequacies of traditional waterfall development methods, which were seen as rigid, overly bureaucratic, and slow to respond to changing customer needs.

Why did Takeuchi and Nonaka use the term ‘Scrum’?

Nonaka and Takeuchi chose the term ‘Scrum’ from Rugby, to emphasize teamwork and moving the ball down the field a little at a time – this perfectly encapsulated their view on product development, where cross-functional teams work collectively to deliver incrementally and iteratively.

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