Use of Scrum in the rehabilitation of a commercial building in Peru

Abstract

Purpose This study seeks to break the current paradigm that Scrum, as an agile framework, is only applicable for information technologies (IT) projects and to confirm the feasibility of its application in the construction sector. Design/methodology/approach The rehabilitation of a shopping mall in Piura (Peru) is used as a case study to implement Scrum in a construction project. In addition, a thorough literature review is performed to establish the state-of-the-art and practice in this field and set the foundation of the elements applied during the case study. Findings The results of this study show the great versatility of Scrum in the construction sector. The key findings include a reduction of the construction duration that provided value to the owner, flexibility for the inclusion of changes (induced by the client or by the complexity of the context in which the project is developed), risk control in high uncertainty scenarios and general satisfaction for all stakeholders. Originality/value The waterfall or traditional management methodologies are not always effective in construction projects, and their application depends on the features and complexity of the environment in which they are developed. This study provides a case study showing the application of Scrum in the construction industry. The positive results obtained from the application can be used by researchers and practitioners looking to incorporate Scrum (or other agile tools) to enhance the management of construction projects.