What Core Factors Predict Scrum Team Effectiveness?
Analysis of ~1,900 teams(1) identified five predictors:
- Responsiveness (release frequency)
- Stakeholder Concern (understanding stakeholder needs)
- Team Autonomy
- Continuous Improvement
- Management Support
Metaphor
Scrum team effectiveness is like the success of a band on tour—it depends on more than just playing the right notes. Frequent releases keep the music flowing, attentiveness to the audience ensures relevance, autonomy lets each musician improvise, continuous improvement sharpens the performance, and management support provides the logistics and promotion that make it all possible.
Together, these five factors predict whether a team delivers a one-hit wonder or builds lasting impact.
These predictors highlight how team interactions, autonomy, and support structures shape overall effectiveness—making them core elements of team dynamics.
Works Consulted
1.
Verwijs C. Are Scrum Masters Sufficiently Focused On Valuable Outcomes? [Internet]. scrum.org; 2022 [cited 2025 Sep 7]. Available from: https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/are-scrum-masters-sufficiently-focused-valuable-outcomes