Iterative Vs Incremental

Scrum is an iterative and incremental framework. Most often people get confused with these two terms. Iterative means “repetitive” whereas incremental means “Add on to existing”. To explain the concepts of iterative and incremental in a simple and clear way, here’s an example using the development of a painting:

Iterative:

Imagine you are painting a landscape.

1. You start with a rough sketch of the entire scene.
2. Then, you refine it by adding more details, adjusting the colors, and improving the proportions step by step.
3. Each time you work on it, you revisit and improve the same painting until it reaches the desired quality.

This is iterative: improving or refining a work repeatedly to get closer to the final version.

Incremental:

Now, instead of starting with the whole painting, imagine you build it piece by piece:

1. On the first day, you complete the sky.
2. Next, you add the mountains.
3. Then, you paint the trees, followed by the river.
4. Each piece is added as a finished or usable part of the painting.

This is incremental: adding completed and functional pieces step by step.

Combining Iterative and Incremental:

When these approaches are combined, you might:

1. Start with a rough sketch of the entire painting (iterative).
2. Add and complete the sky (incremental).
3. Improve the sky’s shading (iterative).
4. Then move on to the mountains, finishing and refining them step by step.

This way, you’re both building parts incrementally and refining them iteratively.

In Scrum:

• Iterative: The team improves or revises the product in cycles, based on feedback, until it meets the desired quality and value. This happens through Sprints and each Sprint’s Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review and Sprint Retrospective.
• Incremental: Each Sprint delivers a useful and valuable increment (e.g., a small feature or functionality).

This ensures you deliver value early and continuously while adapting to learnings along the way.

Enhance your Scrum Master and Product Owner knowledge and elevate your career through Learnovative’s comprehensive CSM training in Hyderabad and CSPO certification in Hyderabad. You can also explore ACSM online training institute in Hyderabad and ACSPO course in Hyderabad also will help you deepen your knowledge through understanding the advanced concepts.