Are your team’s decisions rooted in reality—or just a good story?
From the Scrum Guide:
“Empiricism asserts that … and making decisions based on what is observed.”
Let’s zoom in on that last part.
Cambridge Dictionary defines
- “Decision” - a choice that you make about something after thinking about several possibilities
- “Base on” - use those facts or ideas to develop it”
- “Observe” - watch carefully the way something happens or the way someone does something, especially in order to learn more about it
This is not about glancing.
It’s about paying attention.
With curiosity. With intention. With the goal to learn.
In a complex world, certainty is rare—but clarity can be earned.
Every Sprint offers dozens of learning moments:
- What did customers say during the Review?
- How did the team react when scope shifted?
- What actually got done vs. what was planned?
- What’s the real cause of yesterday’s blocker?
Careful observation helps us see patterns—not just outputs.
And those patterns inform better decisions.
Scrum gives you the structure to make this happen—but only if you use it.
Some common traps I see:
- Making decisions based on roles, not results.
- Ignoring feedback because it’s uncomfortable.
- Sticking to the plan because “we already committed.”
- Skipping Retrospectives—or running them without true inspection.
Observation is the engine of empiricism.
Observe. Decide. Learn. Repeat.
Scrum isn’t just about doing the work.
It’s about paying attention to what the work is teaching you—and acting on it.
Over to you: what’s something your team observed recently that changed how you work?
Or… what did you ignore that came back to bite you?
Let’s compare notes.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
I hope you find value in these short articles and if you are looking for more clarifications, feel free to make contact.
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Wishing you an inspiring read and a wonderful journey.
Scrum on!
