Scrum / Agile Foundation
EmeSoft uses Scrum as its primary framework, with selective Kanban practices for continuous flows like support and DevOps. This page sets the shared vocabulary the rest of the docs assume.
Why Scrum
Section titled “Why Scrum”Scrum gives us a fixed, predictable rhythm: short iterations, a single prioritized backlog, and frequent inspection. That predictability is what lets us safely add AI - when the cadence is stable, you can measure whether a new tool actually helps.
We deliberately keep the framework vanilla. AI changes how fast and how well each step is done; it does not change the framework itself. A sprint is still a sprint.
The Agile values, applied at EmeSoft
Section titled “The Agile values, applied at EmeSoft”| Agile value | How we live it in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Individuals & interactions over processes & tools | AI is a tool that serves people; a human owns every decision and hand-off. |
| Working software over comprehensive documentation | This doc set exists, but the increment is the truth. AI keeps docs cheap so they stay current. |
| Customer collaboration over contract negotiation | Stakeholders join Reviews and refinement; feedback loops are short. |
| Responding to change over following a plan | Two-week sprints make change cheap; AI re-estimates and re-plans quickly. |
How do all Scrum roles collaborate at EmeSoft?
Section titled “How do all Scrum roles collaborate at EmeSoft?”flowchart LR Client[Stakeholders] PM[Project Manager] BA[Business Analyst] ARC[Architect] DEV[Developers] QC[Quality Engineer] Client -->|Business goals & priorities| BA Client -->|Sprint feedback| PM PM -->|Facilitates| BA PM -->|Removes blockers| DEV PM -->|Coordinates| QC BA -->|Requirements & User Stories| ARC ARC -->|Solution Design| DEV DEV -->|Implementation| QC QC -->|Quality Feedback| DEV QC -->|Accepted Stories| Client
Roles vs. the classic three
Section titled “Roles vs. the classic three”Classic Scrum names three roles (Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developers). As a delivery-focused team, EmeSoft maps its six roles onto Scrum like this:
| EmeSoft role | Scrum mapping |
|---|---|
| Stakeholders (Product Owner) | Product Owner - held client-side; |
| Project Manager | Scrum Master + delivery/coordination duties |
| Business Analyst | Developer (specialization: requirements) |
| Solutions Architect / Dev Lead | Developer (specialization: design & technical leadership) |
| Developer | Developer (build) |
| Quality Engineer (QC / QA / Tester) | Developer (specialization: code review, quality & test) |
Sprint cadence
Section titled “Sprint cadence”- Sprint length: 2 weeks (10 working days).
- Sprint Goal: one clear objective per sprint, set in Planning.
- Capacity: planned at ~70% of raw availability to leave room for refinement, reviews, and the unexpected.
- Definition of Ready / Done: see Artifacts & Definitions.
Where AI plugs in (without breaking Scrum)
Section titled “Where AI plugs in (without breaking Scrum)”flowchart TB
A[Refinement] -->|AI drafts stories & ACs| B[Planning]
B -->|AI assists estimation & capacity| C[Daily build]
C -->|AI pair-programming & review| D[Verify]
D -->|AI-generated tests & triage| E[Review]
E -->|AI summarizes demo & feedback| F[Retro]
F -->|AI clusters themes from data| A
Every arrow is a place AI saves time; every box still has a human owner. The detail of which tool, by whom, is in each role page and consolidated in the AI Tooling Map.