Scrum Fatigue: Why It Happens and How to Fix It

Scrum is often the de-facto standard for agile software development. This method is appreciated by countless teams for improving collaboration and accelerating product delivery.

But what happens when the methodology meant to improve efficiency starts wearing teams down? This phenomenon is known as Scrum Fatigue, and it’s more common than you might think.

At Marmelab, we've been using the Scrum methodology in our projects for over 10 years. This experience has given us valuable insights into both its benefits and drawbacks. More importantly, it has helped us understand why Scrum can sometimes be challenging and how to address those challenges.

So, what are the common causes of "Scrum fatigue"? And more importantly, how can we prevent or counteract it?

Sprint Pressure

The continuous short sprint cycles (often every two weeks) create constant pressure to deliver. However, software development is often unpredictable (unexpected bugs, blocking dependencies, unforeseen revisions, etc.). This fast-paced cadence, combined with the constant repetition of the same routines, can lead to mental exhaustion.

How to fix it?

• Focus on delivering value, not tickets. Shift the emphasis from completing tasks to delivering meaningful outcomes that align with the product vision.
• Adapt sprint cycles to your team. Experiment with different sprint durations (between 1 and 4 weeks) to find a pace that fits your team’s workflow and deployment rhythm.
• Leave room for unexpected tasks. Avoid planning sprints at full capacity to reduce stress and allow flexibility.
• Introduce breaks between sprints. Allocate time for personal projects or training to provide a mental reset. At Marmelab, we implemented bi-weekly HackDays for this purpose.

Lack of Autonomy

In some Scrum implementations, the Scrum Master takes on the role of a "project manager," making all decisions regarding priorities, task durations, and team assignments. This approach leads to micromanagement, which can reduce motivation and increase stress among team members by limiting their autonomy.

How to fix it?

• Provide context for every task. Clearly communicate the problem each task aims to solve to foster engagement and purpose.
• Include non-developer roles in the team. Expanding the team to include design, QA, and other roles helps create a more autonomous and self-sufficient environment. This will also remove the coordinator role from the Scrum Master.
• Empower developers to challenge predefined tasks. Trust their expertise to propose solutions that achieve the same user outcomes more efficiently.
• Encourage team feedback on product and the process. Allow for iterative adjustments based on input from developers.
• Rotate the Scrum Master role. Let each team member experience it occasionally to gain a broader perspective.

Overload of Meetings

Scrum imposes a set of ceremonies (daily stand-ups, sprint planning, retrospectives, etc.) meant to streamline communication. While these meetings aim to keep everyone aligned, they can consume significant portions of the workday, leaving developers with limited uninterrupted time for deep work.

How to fix it?

• Reduce team size. Smaller teams require fewer meetings to stay aligned.
• Leverage asynchronous communication. Use tools like Slack or Notion for updates to minimize interruptions.
• Create smaller, dedicated discussions. Organize separate meetings for in-depth topics rather than dragging them into general ones.
• Streamline sprint planning. Ensure the Scrum Master prepares the backlog with the Product Owner so that every User Story is ready for discussion. Keep discussions focused on essential details, with the Product Owner leading the conversation.
• Make meetings optional. Allow team members to skip meetings that don’t directly involve them.
• Keep stand-ups short. Limit them to 10-15 minutes and assign a timekeeper to keep discussions focused.
• Use interactive tools. Try serious games or agile canvases for retrospectives to keep them engaging.
• Cancel unnecessary meetings. If a meeting doesn’t add value, remove it.
• Try switching back to waterfall. You might find that it actually increases the number of meetings, proving that Scrum isn’t the issue.

Overemphasis on Metrics

While metrics like velocity, lead time, and burndown charts are designed to track progress, an obsessive focus on them can be counterproductive. Teams may feel pressured to manipulate their workflow to present better metrics, detracting from genuine productivity and actual deliverables.

How to fix it?

• Analyze trends, not individuals. Use metrics to improve processes, not to judge performance.
• Prioritize value over perfect metrics. Focus on what truly benefits users rather than chasing numbers.
• Use estimates as a guide, not a contract. If a task exceeds its estimate, reassess its priority rather than forcing completion at all costs.
• Avoid using metrics for compensation. Reward value creation rather than arbitrary statistics.
• Educate stakeholders on metrics. Ensure they understand that metrics are for guidance, not rigid success indicators.
• Beware of large-scale agile frameworks. Frameworks like Agile@Scale or SAFe are sometimes accountability tools disguised as project management. Aggregating metrics for decision making is necessary, but agile metrics are a bad approximation of productivity, just like lines of code or work hours.

Not Adapted to the Organization

Scrum can sometimes feel out of place for a particular team. The roles and rituals may sound artificial, the delivery method too far from current habits. Additionally, Scrum may look like a strict framework at first sight. Imposing a new methodology often creates resistance, no matter how good the new methodology.

How to fix it?

• Consider alternatives like Kanban or Shape Up. Scrum is just one option; there are other agile frameworks that may be a better fit.
• Tailor Scrum to your needs. Adjust practices to align with your team’s workflow rather than following a rigid framework.
• Give teams more freedom. Allow them to self-organize and find the best way to work together.
• Empower developers with ownership. Giving them responsibility for code quality and maintainability leads to better long-term decisions.

Towards a More Human Scrum

One of the main roots of Scrum fatigue is overlooking the Agile manifesto and valuing tools over individuals.

Scrum is not inherently bad, but it doesn't work out of the box. While its ultimate goal is to enhance productivity and collaboration, it cannot be a one-size-fits-all process. On the contrary, the emphasis of an Agile team should be to find the best methodology for that specific team, using Scrum as a starting point.

It’s also worth considering the evolution of Agile methodologies. As explored in our article on Shape Up, Scrum is designed to deliver value quickly, but its relevance over long periods is debatable. When an application reaches a mature state—requiring primarily maintenance and strategic feature planning—alternative frameworks like Shape Up may provide a better fit. The rise of hybrid methodologies reflects this shift, blending elements from different approaches to better serve teams in the long run.

By staying true to the Agile principles and Scrum’s pillars—transparency, inspection, and adaptation—teams can avoid burnout and create a sustainable workflow.