Nexus is a Scrum scaling framework that was created to assist organizations in coordinating the work of multiple Scrum teams working on a single product or project. Nexus is a collection of guidelines, practices, and tools for scaling Scrum while adhering to its core principles of transparency, inspection, and adaptation. Nexus is a Scrum framework that is designed to be compatible with other Scrum frameworks such as SAFe and LeSS. It provides a set of guidelines and practices for integrating the work of multiple Scrum teams.
Nexus was created by Ken Schwaber, one of Scrum’s co-creators. Schwaber is an author and consultant who has assisted many organizations in implementing (and scaling) Scrum.
While Scrum.org does not officially endorse one scaling framework over another, they do provide official Nexus training and certification.
Key concepts
The Nexus framework is built around several key concepts, such as product backlog refinement, cross-team collaboration, and integrated testing. Nexus provides a framework for product backlog refinement that includes all teams in order to ensure that all Scrum teams are working towards the same product vision. Nexus also emphasizes cross-team coordination by providing tools and practices for managing dependencies, resolving conflicts, and ensuring that all teams are aligned with the overall project goals. Finally, Nexus encourages teams to use an integrated testing approach to ensure that all features and functionality are thoroughly tested and validated across all teams.
Essential components
Nexus is a Scrum scaling framework that provides a set of roles, artifacts, and events to assist in coordinating the work of multiple Scrum teams. Here are some of the Nexus framework’s key components:
- Nexus Integration Team
- The Nexus Integration Team is in charge of coordinating the work of multiple Scrum teams, identifying and resolving cross-team dependencies, and ensuring that the product backlog is prioritized and refined properly;
- Nexus Product Backlog
- The Nexus Product Backlog is a consolidated, ordered list of product backlog items from which all Scrum teams work during the Nexus Sprint. The Product Owner is in charge of keeping the Product Backlog up to date;
- Nexus Daily Scrum Guide
- The Nexus Daily Scrum Guide describes how to run the Nexus Daily Scrum, including the roles of the Nexus Integration Team and the Scrum teams, as well as the specific questions to be addressed during the meeting;
- Nexus Integration Team Backlog
- The Nexus Integration Team Backlog is a prioritized list of work items that the Nexus Integration Team must complete in order to facilitate coordination and communication between Scrum teams;
- Nexus Sprint
- The Nexus Sprint is a time-boxed iteration in which multiple Scrum teams collaborate to complete a single product increment. Teams use a Nexus Daily Scrum, a Nexus Sprint Review, and a Nexus Sprint Retrospective to coordinate their work during the Nexus Sprint;
- Nexus Daily Scrum
- The Nexus Daily Scrum is a daily meeting at which representatives from each Scrum team share progress updates, identify cross-team dependencies, and plan their day’s work;
- Nexus Sprint Review
- The Nexus Sprint Review is a meeting in which Scrum teams present the product increment that they completed during the Nexus Sprint;
- Nexus Sprint Retrospective
- The Nexus Sprint Retrospective is a meeting in which Scrum teams reflect on their Nexus Sprint work, identify areas for improvement, and plan for changes in the next Nexus Sprint.
Overall, Nexus provides a framework for coordinating the work of multiple Scrum teams, ensuring that the product has a single, shared vision and that teams are working effectively and efficiently together. Nexus assists organizations in maintaining the core principles and values of Agile development while addressing the unique challenges that arise when working with multiple teams by providing guidelines, practices, and tools for scaling Scrum.
USPs
What distinguishes Nexus from other frameworks is its emphasis on Scrum as the primary technique for product development. Nexus is aimed to expand and strengthen the Scrum framework, as opposed to many alternative scaling frameworks, which may rely on a combination of Agile and traditional project management approaches. This is especially useful for organizations who are currently using Scrum and wish to scale it to several teams while retaining the benefits of Scrum’s basic concepts.
For what organizations?
Nexus may be used in a number of situations, but it is best suited for organizations who are currently using Scrum and want to scale it to several teams working on the same product or project. Nexus provides a lightweight and adaptable framework that can be tailored to the individual demands of the organization while adhering to the key Scrum principles. Nexus may be less ideal for firms that demand a more complete or prescriptive approach to Agile scaling, or for those who do not currently use Scrum as their primary product development technique. Nexus’s success is dependent on the organization’s desire to accept its ideas and practices, as well as to modify and enhance its procedures over time.
Do you want to learn more about Nexus? Visit scrum.org/resources/scaling-scrum