Understanding and Applying the Scrum Framework · Topic 1 of 5
Empiricism and the Product Owner
Empiricism for PSPO I: transparency, inspection and adaptation, lean thinking, and how the Product Owner uses evidence to steer the product.
- 4 min
- Scrum is founded on empiricism and lean thinking.
- Three pillars: transparency, inspection, adaptation.
- Transparency enables inspection; inspection enables adaptation.
What it is
Scrum is founded on empiricism and lean thinking. Empiricism asserts that knowledge comes from experience and making decisions based on what is observed. Lean thinking reduces waste and focuses on the essentials. Scrum uses an iterative, incremental approach to optimize predictability and to control risk.
For a Product Owner, empiricism means the product is steered by evidence. Instead of fixing every feature up front, the Product Owner releases usable Increments, observes how customers respond and reorders the Product Backlog based on what was learned.
How it works
The three pillars
| Pillar | What the Scrum Guide says |
|---|---|
| Transparency | The emergent process and work must be visible to those performing the work as well as those receiving the work. Important decisions are based on the perceived state of the three artifacts |
| Inspection | The Scrum artifacts and the progress toward agreed goals must be inspected frequently and diligently to detect potentially undesirable variances or problems |
| Adaptation | If any aspects of a process deviate outside acceptable limits, or if the resulting product is unacceptable, the process or materials must be adjusted as soon as possible to minimize further deviation |
The pillars depend on each other:
- Transparency enables inspection. Inspection without transparency is misleading and wasteful.
- Inspection enables adaptation. Inspection without adaptation is considered pointless.
- Adaptation becomes more difficult when the people involved are not empowered or self-managing.
Artifacts that have low transparency can lead to decisions that diminish value and increase risk. A Product Backlog that hides real priorities, or an Increment that looks finished but is not Done, misleads everyone who inspects it.
Where inspection and adaptation happen
Scrum combines four formal events for inspection and adaptation within a containing event, the Sprint.
| Event | What is inspected | What may be adapted |
|---|---|---|
| Sprint Planning | The most important Product Backlog items and how they map to the Product Goal | The plan for the Sprint: Sprint Goal and Sprint Backlog |
| Daily Scrum | Progress toward the Sprint Goal | The Sprint Backlog |
| Sprint Review | The outcome of the Sprint and progress toward the Product Goal | The Product Backlog |
| Sprint Retrospective | Individuals, interactions, processes, tools and the Definition of Done | How the team works |
Empiricism in product decisions
| Plan driven thinking | Empirical thinking |
|---|---|
| The full scope is defined before work starts | The Product Backlog is emergent and changes as more is learned |
| Value is assumed until the final release | Value is checked with each usable Increment |
| A change to the plan is a failure | A change to the plan is learning |
| Progress is measured against the plan | Progress is measured toward the Product Goal |
A worked example: a Product Owner believes a new checkout flow will raise sales. Instead of building every option, the team delivers a small usable version in one Sprint. At the Sprint Review the team and stakeholders look at the usage data together. Sales did not rise, but users asked for a saved payment method. The Product Owner reorders the Product Backlog to try that next. Only what has already happened was used to decide.
The Scrum Values support empiricism
Successful use of Scrum depends on people becoming more proficient in living five values: commitment, focus, openness, respect and courage. When these values are embodied by the Scrum Team and the people they work with, the empirical pillars come to life, building trust. Openness in particular supports transparency: the Scrum Team and its stakeholders are open about the work and its challenges.
When a scenario shows a Product Owner hiding bad news from stakeholders, or Developers presenting work that is not Done, the problem is transparency. The right answer makes the real state visible.
How the exam asks about this
- "What are the three pillars of empiricism?" Transparency, inspection and adaptation.
- "What does empiricism assert?" Knowledge comes from experience and decisions based on what is observed.
- "A Product Owner insists on a detailed two year feature plan. What does this conflict with?" Empiricism; the Product Backlog is emergent.
What to remember for the exam
- Scrum is founded on empiricism and lean thinking.
- Three pillars: transparency, inspection, adaptation.
- Transparency enables inspection; inspection enables adaptation.
- Adaptation should happen as soon as possible to minimize further deviation.
- Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review and Sprint Retrospective are the formal opportunities to inspect and adapt; the Sprint contains them.
- Low transparency can lead to decisions that diminish value and increase risk.
Inspecting without adapting is pointless. A Product Owner who collects feedback at every Sprint Review but never changes the Product Backlog is not using empiricism.
Common mistakes
Adding a fourth pillar. "Planning", "control" or "commitment" are not pillars. The pillars are transparency, inspection and adaptation.
Waiting for the next release to adapt. Adjust as soon as possible.
Treating the Product Backlog as a fixed contract. It is emergent and changes as the team learns.
Check yourself
What does transparency enable?
Inspection; inspection without transparency is misleading and wasteful.
When should adaptation happen once a deviation is found?
As soon as possible, to minimize further deviation.
Why can low transparency hurt the product?
Decisions based on artifacts with low transparency can diminish value and increase risk.
Topic 1 of 5 in Understanding and Applying the Scrum Framework
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