Photo By Candy C Knight | The Scrum discipline enables our Data Engineering Office to maintain focus, run...... read more read more
When I launched the Data Engineering Office, the goal was structure. Initially, I operated independently for six months before expanding into a small team of three. We quickly found ourselves overwhelmed by 10 high-priority projects from multiple leaders.
The answer to the chaos was simple: Scrum.
This wasn’t an arbitrary choice. My foundation in the framework stems from the knowledge I gained while earning my Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) from Scrum Alliance in 2019. That training has been instrumental to my professional success, and I hold a profound appreciation for the invaluable lessons I acquired during the process.
Now, as I’ve transitioned to focus more on strategy, I’m proud to say one of my best Soldiers stepped up to assume the Scrum Master role. This inspired my next goal: pursuing the Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) certification to enhance my ability to maximize the value of our data products. Of course, that may have to wait until I’m getting paid again.
The Engine of Expansion
We began committing to two-week Sprints, breaking down “mythical” requirements into manageable tasks, and visualizing everything on a Kanban-style board. This discipline led to immediate results. Within 9 months, we launched our first data product: the NEC Scorecard 1.0.
It was clunky—pulling in just 10 features—but it proved the concept. Crucially, the process of iteration (releasing faster, better versions) and discovering reusable features led to something transformative: organizational confidence in our ability to deliver.
Today, the NEC Scorecard is currently on Version 3.5, and its underlying model has grown to over 50 features, demonstrating the power of continuous, incremental value delivery.
Scrum was the engine that drove our expansion and allowed us to manage the resulting complexity. Our team’s adaptability in the face of change was genuinely inspiring.
The Ultimate Test: Delivering Through a Furlough
Today, we are testing the true power of this framework. Since October 1st, I, along with three other civilians in our office, have been placed on furlough. We’re missing half of our eight-person team.
When I reached out to my NCOIC (Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge), his report was incredible:
He noted that while they are certainly slowed down, there is no question about what to work on. The Soldiers are still working diligently and with purpose because the Scrum discipline—the Backlog, the Daily Standups, the Sprints—removes ambiguity and enforces focus on value.
This is the ultimate measure of success: Scrum built a resilient, mission-focused team that does not miss a beat under extreme stress. The framework is not dependent on any single person; it is dependent on shared purpose and structure.
Key Takeaways for Crisis and Resilience
The success of our team during this furlough isn’t unique to the military or government; it’s a testament to the framework’s power. If your organization faces potential resource constraints or unexpected crises, here are three lessons we learned from putting Scrum to the ultimate test:
Prioritization is Protection Enforcing a rigorous Product Backlog and defining a clear Top Priority removes ambiguity and ensures that remaining resources focus solely on maximizing value.
Rituals Maintain Structure The non-negotiable rhythm of Sprints and Daily Standups provides psychological stability and clarity. When resources disappear, the process keeps working, not just the people.
Cross-Functional Empowerment
By training my Soldier to step into the Scrum Master role, we proved the framework is not person-dependent. Building redundancy and role-swapping capacity is the ultimate risk mitigation strategy.
| Date Taken: | 10.15.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.17.2025 02:00 |
| Story ID: | 551285 |
| Location: | WIESBADEN, DE |
| Hometown: | INYOKERN, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 45 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Proof in Practice: How Scrum Keeps Us Delivering, Even Through a Furlough, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
