Why we cannot talk about how to do Scrum

A plausible explanation why Scrum is “same, same but different.”

Let’s imagine you have a box with something secret inside, and you call it “Scrum.” No one else has seen what you have in the box. When they ask you what is inside the box, you say it is “Scrum.”

What if everyone had their own little box with a secret inside and called it Scrum? No-one except you would know what is in the box. You would not know what the other person's “Scrum” in the box is! Whatever “Scrum” you have put in your box probably looks very different from what I have in my box. Maybe your Scrum is an apple and my Scrum an orange. My Scrum is probably not your Scrum. We both would assume we are talking about the same thing, though. We’re both talking about Scrum, are we not?

Until we open the box, we are actually discussing Schrödinger’s cat. As long as everyone has their own definition (or secret), it isn't very meaningful to talk about Scrum. You can have anything in the box and call it Scrum. Not until the box is opened do we know what Scrum is (for you).

What Scrum means to you is based upon your context, experience, and definitions. Imagine the surprise when you open someone else’s box and see something very different than what you have, “Ohh…is that your Scrum? Mine is…