Introduction to Agile Development and Scrum from Coursera

Get started with using Agile Development and Scrum with this self-paced introductory course! After successfully completing this course, you will be able to embrace the Agile concepts of adaptive planning, iterative development, and continuous improvement - resulting in early deliveries and value to customers.

You will look at Scrum as a framework and learn how to apply it alongside Agile. You will also become familiar with related methodologies like Waterfall, Extreme Programming (XP), and Kanban.

Apply Agile practices derived from lean manufacturing concepts, like test-driven development. Learn how a scrum team functions. Also learn about the importance of Agile iterative planning and enable yourself to write good user stories and track your team’s progress using a kanban board.

Create and refine a product backlog collaboratively with the team and the customer, in a flexible and blameless culture. You'll also learn how to use burndown charts, achieve sprint goals, and conduct the sprint review and retrospective. This approach will lead you to higher levels of efficiency, with the ability to plan and execute sprints with your development team, measuring success with actionable metrics.

This course is about more than facts and processes. It is about working collaboratively on a self-organizing team, coached by a scrum master, and building what is needed, rather than simply following a plan. Developed and taught by an experienced Agile practitioner, the course includes hands-on practice through realistic scenario-based labs using GitHub and ZenHub.

The course will benefit anyone who wants to get started with working the Agile way or transform the organizational culture to adopt and realize the benefits of Scrum. This includes Project Managers, Product Managers, and Executives. It is particularly suitable for IT practitioners such as software developers, development managers, and IT Scrum Masters.

What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction to Agile and Scrum

In this module, you will be introduced to the philosophy and characteristics of Agile. You will learn about other methodologies including Waterfall, Extreme Programming (XP) and Kanban, and how they relate to Agile. You’ll explore the five practices of working Agile. Next, you’ll get an overview of Scrum as a framework for applying Agile principles to project management. You’ll learn how Scrum benefits the project management process by advocating defined roles, events, and artifacts. You’ll learn how companies can organize for success using Agile, and how team alignment and autonomy contribute to building better systems. You’ll also learn how to recognize and avoid Agile anti-patterns and measure Scrum team health.

Agile Planning

In this module, you will learn more details about Agile iterative planning. You will also learn how to create good user stories, estimate and assign story points, build and refine a product backlog, and build a sprint plan.

Daily Execution

This module describes the daily workflow for executing a sprint plan, including how to determine which story to work on and how to keep the team updated on progress. You will learn what a daily stand-up is and how to run one. You’ll learn how to use burndown charts to forecast the team’s ability to achieve the sprint goal. You’ll learn how to conduct the sprint review and the sprint retrospective. And you’ll find out how to measure success and use actionable metrics to improve the team’s performance.

[Optional] HONORS Project - Create an Agile Plan with ZenHub

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops core Agile principles, which are widely used in the software development industry

Taught by John Rofrano, an experienced Agile practitioner with hands-on experience

Uses industry-standard tools like GitHub and ZenHub for hands-on practice

Suitable for various roles in IT, including project managers, product managers, and software developers

May require learners to have some prior knowledge of Agile or software development concepts

The course content is up-to-date and relevant to current industry practices

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Introduction to Agile Development and Scrum with these activities:

Review core software development concepts in Python

Show steps

Strengthen your foundation in software development concepts used in Agile development.

Browse courses on Python

Show steps

Review online tutorials or documentation on Python basics.
Practice writing simple Python scripts.

Read 'Agile and Scrum: The Essentials'

Show steps

Get a solid foundation in Agile and Scrum principles and practices.

View Software in 30 Days: How Agile Managers Beat... on Amazon

Show steps

Read through the book, making notes and highlighting key concepts.
Complete the review questions at the end of each chapter.

Complete the Scrum Master Learning Path on Pluralsight

Show steps

Develop a deeper understanding of Scrum Master responsibilities.

Browse courses on Scrum

Show steps

Enroll in the Scrum Master Learning Path on Pluralsight.
Watch the videos and complete the exercises.

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Plan and execute a small-scale Agile project in a team environment

Show steps

Apply Agile and Scrum principles to a practical project.

Show steps

Form a team and choose a project.
Plan the project using Agile methodologies.
Execute the project in sprints.
Conduct sprint reviews and retrospectives.
Deliver the final project.

Organize your notes and resources from the course

Show steps

Consolidate your learning materials for easy reference.

Show steps

Review your notes and identify key concepts.
Create folders or digital notebooks to organize your materials.

Write a blog post about your experience with Agile and Scrum

Show steps

Reflect on and synthesize your understanding of Agile and Scrum.

Show steps

Choose a specific aspect of Agile or Scrum to focus on.
Write a draft of your blog post.
Get feedback on your draft and revise it.
Publish your blog post.

Participate in the Agile and Scrum online hackathon

Show steps

Test your Agile and Scrum skills in a competitive environment.

Browse courses on Agile

Show steps

Register for the online hackathon.
Form a team and develop a solution to the challenge.
Submit your solution and compete for prizes.

Career center

Learners who complete Introduction to Agile Development and Scrum will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Scrum Master

As a Scrum Master, you will be responsible for facilitating the Scrum process and helping the team to achieve its goals. You will need to have a strong understanding of Agile development methodologies, such as Scrum, in order to be successful in this role. This course will help you build a foundation in Agile development and Scrum, which will give you the skills you need to be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Scrum Master

Project Manager

As a Project Manager, you will be responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. You will need to have a strong understanding of Agile development methodologies, such as Scrum, in order to effectively manage projects. This course will help you build a foundation in Agile development and Scrum, which will give you the skills you need to be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Product Manager

As a Product Manager, you will be responsible for defining the vision and roadmap for a product. You will need to have a strong understanding of Agile development methodologies, such as Scrum, in order to effectively manage the product development process. This course will help you build a foundation in Agile development and Scrum, which will give you the skills you need to be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Software Developer

As a Software Developer, you will be responsible for developing and maintaining software applications. You will need to have a strong understanding of Agile development methodologies, such as Scrum, in order to effectively work on Agile development teams. This course will help you build a foundation in Agile development and Scrum, which will give you the skills you need to be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Developer

Quality Assurance Analyst

As a Quality Assurance Analyst, you will be responsible for testing software applications to ensure that they meet quality standards. You will need to have a strong understanding of Agile development methodologies, such as Scrum, in order to effectively work on Agile development teams. This course will help you build a foundation in Agile development and Scrum, which will give you the skills you need to be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Assurance Analyst

Technical Writer

As a Technical Writer, you will be responsible for writing documentation for software applications. You will need to have a strong understanding of Agile development methodologies, such as Scrum, in order to effectively work on Agile development teams. This course will help you build a foundation in Agile development and Scrum, which will give you the skills you need to be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

User Experience Designer

As a User Experience Designer, you will be responsible for designing the user interface for software applications. You will need to have a strong understanding of Agile development methodologies, such as Scrum, in order to effectively work on Agile development teams. This course will help you build a foundation in Agile development and Scrum, which will give you the skills you need to be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for User Experience Designer

Business Analyst

As a Business Analyst, you will be responsible for gathering and analyzing business requirements. You will need to have a strong understanding of Agile development methodologies, such as Scrum, in order to effectively work on Agile development teams. This course will help you build a foundation in Agile development and Scrum, which will give you the skills you need to be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Data Analyst

As a Data Analyst, you will be responsible for analyzing data to identify trends and patterns. You will need to have a strong understanding of Agile development methodologies, such as Scrum, in order to effectively work on Agile development teams. This course will help you build a foundation in Agile development and Scrum, which will give you the skills you need to be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Enterprise Architect

As an Enterprise Architect, you will be responsible for designing and implementing IT solutions for organizations. You will need to have a strong understanding of Agile development methodologies, such as Scrum, in order to effectively work on Agile development teams. This course will help you build a foundation in Agile development and Scrum, which will give you the skills you need to be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Enterprise Architect

IT Consultant

As an IT Consultant, you will be responsible for providing IT consulting services to organizations. You will need to have a strong understanding of Agile development methodologies, such as Scrum, in order to effectively work with clients. This course will help you build a foundation in Agile development and Scrum, which will give you the skills you need to be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Consultant

Database Administrator

As a Database Administrator, you will be responsible for managing and maintaining databases. You will need to have a strong understanding of Agile development methodologies, such as Scrum, in order to effectively work on Agile development teams. This course will help you build a foundation in Agile development and Scrum, which will give you the skills you need to be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator

Software Architect

As a Software Architect, you will be responsible for designing and developing software applications. You will need to have a strong understanding of Agile development methodologies, such as Scrum, in order to effectively work on Agile development teams. This course will help you build a foundation in Agile development and Scrum, which will give you the skills you need to be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Architect

Systems Analyst

As a Systems Analyst, you will be responsible for analyzing and designing IT systems. You will need to have a strong understanding of Agile development methodologies, such as Scrum, in order to effectively work on Agile development teams. This course will help you build a foundation in Agile development and Scrum, which will give you the skills you need to be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Analyst

IT Manager

As an IT Manager, you will be responsible for managing the IT department of an organization. You will need to have a strong understanding of Agile development methodologies, such as Scrum, in order to effectively manage the IT team. This course will help you build a foundation in Agile development and Scrum, which will give you the skills you need to be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Manager