By now, we have all heard about Agile software development methodology and its different flavors such as SCRUM, XP, DSDM etc etc.

I have been part of development teams using SCRUM methodology for last year and a half and I am learning more about agile concepts in every project using these techniques. The more I think about a project that is managed using SCRUM, I can't help but think about how similar this approach is to the way a football (American Football, not Soccer) game is played. Let me explain, here are the different aspects of both Scrum and Football that are very similar in nature.

• The "First Down" in a football game is same as a "Sprint" in a Scrum project, Sprint = First Down.

• In other words, End of Sprint = First down (10 yards is the objective for every down in football; End of Sprint/Iteration is the objective in Scrum)

• End of Project (which usually consists of several Sprints) = Touchdown
  

How about the various meetings held in a typical SCRUM project? How do they relate to football terms?

• Project Kickoff Meeting = Game Kickoff
• Daily stand-ups = Huddle
• Start of Iteration/Product Backlog = Line Of Scrimmage
• Iteration Planning Meetings (IPM) - Pre-game meeting
• Retrospective = Post Game Conference

Let's look at the SCRUM team member roles and how they are similar to a football team member roles.

• Scrum Master = Head Coach
• Technical Lead = Running back
• Architect = Quarter back

Some of the other roles and artifacts that I haven't yet found a match are as follows:

• Stakeholders
• Developers
• QA Testers = Referees?
• Burn-down chart