A Delphi Study on the Adaptation of SCRUM Practices to Remote Work
Cleyton Magalhaes, Fernando Padoan, Robson Santos, Ronnie de Souza Santos
TL;DR
This study uses a Delphi method with nine Scrum Masters from a large, distributed software organization to examine how Scrum practices were adapted for remote and hybrid work during and after the COVID-19 era. It finds that communication management, through decision logs, segmented channels, and revised ceremonies, is the central driver of remote Scrum adaptations, with Pre-planning, extended Daily Scrums, and dedicated team-building rituals emerging as key practices. The results show remote work strengthened the Agile value of respect and courage but produced mixed effects on commitment, focus, and openness, highlighting the need for further research. The work offers a practical framework and set of actionable strategies for sustaining agility in distributed teams and informs future inquiries into long-term effectiveness of these adaptations.
Abstract
This study explores how Scrum practices were adjusted for remote and hybrid work during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, using a Delphi study with Scrum Masters to gather expert insights. Preliminary key findings highlight communication as the primary challenge, leading to adjustments in meeting structures, information-sharing practices, and collaboration tools. Teams restructured ceremonies, introduced new meetings, and implemented persistent information-sharing mechanisms to improve their work.