For months, I have longed to pen down my thoughts and articulate the two different worlds of Scrum and SAP SuccessFactors ... To marry them in holy matrimony of sorts. Today I am going to talk about my understanding of implementing SuccessFactors using Scrum methodology.
Scrum is a highly effective framework within which people can address and solve complex adaptive problems, while productively and creatively delivering products of the highest possible value.
Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland worked together to formulate the initial versions of the framework and eventually to present SCRUM as a formal process. Different methodologies like scrum and agile are applicable to varied departments. Scrum being a subset of Agile is highly popular in the software development department.
There are three roles in the Scrum methodology that are- product owner, scrum master, and development team members. Scrum is a flexible framework for developing, delivering, and sustaining complex products, with an initial emphasis on software development.
Scrum Framework
SAP SuccessFactors
SAP SuccessFactors provides a cloud-based solution to take care of diverse HR functions. It is an SAP product. Some of the parameters it assists in include core HR, recruitment, performance, company expansion, learning activities, and certain activities for running varied forms of organization. This is designed as a service model and is a cloud-based HCM solution. SAP is a cloud-based HCM solution developed as a Service Model.
How They Work When Combined
The core philosophies of Scrum are self-organizing and cross-functional teams. There are no leaders. All the decisions regarding work and tackling varied problems are discussed collectively before arriving at a solution. Teams are cross-functional. That means, people from different departments working towards a common goal.
In Scrum methodology, complex tasks or projects are broken down into small parts. And all smaller parts are assigned with some time-frame. Time-frames vary from two weeks to a month depending on the given task.
Scrum Methodology
In the scrum methodology, a meeting is employed at the start of the sprint to discuss points and figure out the process. To plan and create a to-do list referred to as a sprint backlog.
Scrum Methodology
The product backlog is another artifact of Scrum. This is the detailed list of the functionality that remains to be added to the product. The product owner prioritizes the backlog so the board always works on the most valuable outlines first.
The daily scrums are employed to harmonize the work of team members. And at the end of the sprint, the team reviews new findings and improvements towards the end goal.
Any changes in the functionalities are also notified. Demonstrations on the progress are displayed. Also, any valuable advice or feedback from other stakeholders that can influence the next sprint is taken into consideration.
This feedback loop within the scrum model may alter certain functionalities or, it may add to the list of product backlog or, the next sprint may require some revising.
Example:
Visa & Permit management Portlet
SAP SuccessFactors Visa and Permits Management is another answer for help oversee worker work visas and allows around the world. SAP SuccessFactors is assisting with lightning consistency and effectiveness trouble spots for associations hoping to source ability globally.
How can we achieve this with SCRUM?
SuccessFactors Employee Central portlets are individually broken down using Product backlogs. The most well known and effective approach to make an item excess utilizing the Scrum technique is to populate it with client stories, which are short depictions of the usefulness portrayed from the viewpoint of a client or client.
The product backlog is created based on some of the stories below, which were covered in this
blog by
frans.smolders
- Prepare and define the organization
- Setup country dependent legal entities
- Define different types of visas or permits processes, including critical milestones
- Define eligibility checks
- Define planning and approval criteria for potential negotiations with local authorities on the types and number of visas or permits required
- Execute and obtain permits
- Allow agents (internal i.e. HR/PROs, or external i.e. agencies) to process and expense visas and permits
- Obtain visas or permits legally required for hiring or contracts renewal
- Communicate with authorities and update records status
- Monitor visa and permit status
- Allow HR, recruiters, managers, and employees to monitor processes
- Communicate directly to local authorities and receive notifications
In the Scrum venture the executives, on the primary day of a run and during the arranging meeting, colleagues make the run excess. The run build-up can be considered as the group's plan for the day for the run, though an item excess is a rundown of highlights to be manufactured (written as client stories).
The run excess is the rundown of assignments the group needs to perform to convey the usefulness it resolved to convey during the run.
Issues/Drawbacks
Burndown charts show the amount of work remaining either in a sprint or a release and are an effective tool in Scrum software development to determine whether a sprint or release is on schedule to have all planned work finished by the desired date.
But with Scrum, individuals are expected to work beyond their preferred disciplines whenever doing so would be for the good of the team.
One way to think of the interlocking nature of these three roles in this agile methodology is as a racecar.
How A Sprint Is Delivered
First things first, a sprint is usually a two-week period of time during which specific tasks must be completed based on what the team has prioritized to deliver to the end-user soon. In our previous article, we’ve related some reasons why you should work in agile sprints. It’s important not to forget that the main purpose of sprints is to deliver frequently. Before cutting to the chase of how you can streamline sprint planning and increase your team’s speed, let’s look into what sprint planning is.
Let me know if you find the strategies listed in this article helpful? What are some of your favorite ways to approach a scrum framework on a Successfactors implementation? How have they worked for you?
If you enjoyed this blog post, share it with your friends and colleagues!
Regards,
Srinivas Bhojaraj