Implementing Scrum Artifacts

By definition, the term artifact refers to any object made by humans or something that can be observed through investigations or experimentation. In the traditional model, we are used to having an untold number of potential artifacts related to a project. Many of those artifacts take the form of physical documentation and reports of various topics. However, in a generic sense, a programmer's code and database schemas are other examples of artifacts. In the traditional model, documentation is a direct result of the detailed project planning, monitoring, and control processes.

Scrum seeks to minimize the production of artifacts, and Sutherland and Schwaber limited their list of artifacts to just three. These include the Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increments. Collectively, these artifacts portray the work and value of a project and provide the means for transparency, inspection, and adaption. The goal is to keep the team's focus strictly...