How to use Scrum effectively: Book review and conversation with Elizabeth Woodward

Four team configurations
The book begins with practical information describing the Scrum methodology and the importance of collaboration and communication in its success. Four team configurations are described:

1. Collocated - These are teams that have all members working together physically in the same location. This is the prescribed team configuration in most Scrum literature and is recognized as the easiest way to foster team communication and collaboration.
2. Collocated part time - These teams are available to work together physically as needed. Often some of the members telecommute or work from other regional offices. Though these teams start to meet with some challenges, collaboration tools or face-to-face meetings can often help in bridging the gap.
3. Distributed with overlapping hours - In this model, although teams are distributed across time zones, there are at least some overlapping business hours. This tier introduces complications of time zones, communication differences due to cultures, languages and the inability to meet face-to-face.
4. Distributed with no overlapping work hours - In this, the most challenging configuration, there is no opportunity to have a meeting during the business hours of all the people on the team. This will require at least some members to attend meetings outside of their normal business hours. Furthermore, the frequent communication throughout the project that is expected from a Scrum team cannot easily occur. It is this frequent and on-going communication, extending beyond email and IM, which can make the difference between a successful and unsuccessful project.

Challenges of distributed teams
Chapter two describes the challenges with vastly distributed teams. Much of the information in this chapter is relevant, regardless of software methodology being used. Even global teams that are not involved in software development would benefit from reviewing the challenges and recommendations for successful collaboration of distributed teams. Awareness of issues such as cultural differences, conference call etiquette, holiday schedules, time zone differences, language nuances and most importantly, processes and technologies that allow for productive remote teaming, are worth understanding. Any distributed team would benefit from identifying pain points the team is experiencing and exploring solutions for improving communication.

Using Scrum for large-scale projects on distributed teams
The majority of the book describes how Scrum can be used effectively on large-scale projects with distributed teams starting with project origination and ending with retrospectives. Just as chapter two is useful for all distributed teams, much of the content in these chapters would prove useful for any Scrum team. They include many principles, tools and techniques used on all successful Scrum teams. However, again, the book emphasizes how the specific challenges encountered in a distributed environment can be addressed.