Miniscrum as a tool for beginners

So, you are just about to try scrum for a first time on a real project? Aren't you? Cool. You know, you need some tool to manage it. So what are options available. Well, there are many desktop software available out there and yet more online services.

Whiteboard?

But! Did you consider simple white board with stickers and markers as a main tool? It could be the best option for start. Really! Use stickers to write user stories and later to set priorities. Utilize markers and white space to track your progress with burndown charts. However there are few drawbacks with white board. It's not so easy to make edits and to track history. Also white board isn't very suitable for distributed teams.

Spreadsheets?

But! There is another casual option. It is spreadsheets. You can create an Excel file on network-shared drive or a spreadsheet at Google Docs. There are bunch of templates available on the web, you may use them as a starting point. However spreadsheets bring hadache related to a constant formating and structuring them correctly.

Miniscrum!

If you don't want to use white board or spreadsheet, you need a specialized software tool. Maybe you even reviewed some already. What does miniscrum better than others? It is light and not bloated, it is unobtrusive as possible and so is capable to be used with many deviations from “classical” scrum. You are just starting, right? Experiments and variations are inevitable to find the right pulse for your project and your team, it will be pity if a tool will restrict you eventually. Miniscrum will not.

Miniscrum is unobtrusive

• Do you plan to have 4 week sprints or 1 week? Or you didn't decided yet? It doesn't matter since sprint duration and dates aren't enforced yet possible.
• Do you absolutely need to set task assignments or decisions of who will do what will be delegated to the team? It doesn't matter since responsibility assignments aren't obligatory yet possible.
• Are roles in your team are strict, every single day? What will you do when your scrum master will be ill? Does your product owner is a man that will do everything that it is intended in “flawless” scrum? It doesn't mater for miniscrum, it have no roles at all. Everything is shared and accessible among team members.

See usage tips to get an idea of how miniscrum is designed.

Dive in

Actually miniscrum is very very easy to start. It is longer to read about it than to try it yourself right now, for free, without registration, in single button click.