Agile and Scrum are everywhere in tech — and increasingly in non-tech industries too. If you work on a team, you’ll encounter these methodologies. Here’s what you need to know.
Agile vs Scrum
- Agile = A philosophy for managing projects flexibly (like “eat healthy”)
- Scrum = A specific framework that implements Agile (like “follow this meal plan”)
Key Scrum Concepts
- Sprint — 1–4 week work cycle
- Daily Stand-up — 15-min team check-in (what did you do, what will you do, any blockers?)
- Sprint Review — Demo completed work to stakeholders
- Retrospective — Team reflects on what went well and what to improve
- Product Backlog — Prioritized list of all work to be done
Scrum Roles
- Product Owner — decides what to build and prioritizes the backlog
- Scrum Master — facilitates the process and removes blockers
- Development Team — the people doing the actual work
Best Agile & Scrum Courses
Do I need a Scrum certification?
Not for most roles, but it helps if you want to be a Scrum Master or Project Manager. The Certified Scrum Master (CSM) and Professional Scrum Master (PSM) are the most recognized certifications.
Last updated: March 2026.