The curse of Mechanical Scrum - how to spot it. And how to fix it
Many leaders in the UAE and wider GCC want faster delivery and better outcomes, and Agile is often the first place they look.
That’s a good instinct.
But the way you frame the change matters more than it looks. If your message is “Let’s go Agile” or “We’re doing Agile”, pause. Those phrases often signal a checklist mindset.
A more useful framing is: “We are going to be Agile.”
That shift sounds subtle, but it points to the real work: culture, leadership behaviours, and the willingness to learn and adapt.
If you are curious about what “going Agile” looks like in practice (and why it often stalls), this is a helpful companion read: Read Agile adoption vs transformation ↗
Key takeaways
- “Doing Agile” often leads to Mechanical Scrum; “being Agile” drives real outcomes.
- Mechanical Scrum is a culture and leadership problem before it is a skills problem.
- Focus on value, Product Goals, and Sprint Goals, not busywork and meetings.
- Fix root causes: understanding, operating model constraints, and leadership buy-in.
- Use the Scrum Values to keep teams out of “ceremony theatre”.
Challenge / why this matters
Scrum is popular because it is simple, and because it creates a clear rhythm for delivery and learning.
But not every organisation that adopts Scrum gets the outcomes it expects.
A common failure mode is Mechanical Scrum: teams run the Scrum Events (aka Ceremonies), create artefacts, and use the labels, but the underlying mindset never changes.
In GCC organisations, Mechanical Scrum often shows up when:
- leaders want faster delivery, but keep long approval chains and command-and-control behaviours
- teams are still organised in silos, with work “thrown over the wall”
- Product Ownership is diluted across many senior stakeholders with competing priorities
- delivery pressure drives “more activity” rather than “more value”
If you’re at the start of this journey, it helps to be clear on the non-negotiables early: Read how to begin an Agile transformation ↗
Approach / how it works
At its core, the difference between Mechanical Scrum and effective Scrum is simple.
Mechanical Scrum focuses on activity.
Properly implemented Scrum focuses on value, learning, and adaptation.
1) Mechanical Scrum vs properly implemented Scrum
Mechanical Scrum occurs when teams:
- run meetings because the calendar says so
- measure success by “tasks completed” rather than customer value delivered
- treat the Sprint as a mini-waterfall plan
- create artefacts to satisfy reporting, not to create transparency
- avoid meaningful inspection and adaptation because it feels risky
Properly implemented Scrum is different.
Teams use Scrum to create transparency and deliver a valuable Increment that meets the Definition of Done.
They work towards a clear Product Goal, and they set Sprint Goals that move them towards it.
2) What “being Agile” looks like in day-to-day delivery
“Being Agile” is visible in behaviour.
For example:
- leaders protect focus, rather than constantly reshuffling priorities
- teams make decisions close to the work, with clear boundaries and trust
- feedback loops are short, and learning is valued over perfection
- teams challenge assumptions early, instead of discovering issues late
- outcomes matter more than outputs
This is also why Agile and AI can work well together: Agile creates the operating rhythm, and AI can improve decision support and reduce low-value admin when used responsibly. Read how Agile and AI work together ↗
3) Why the Scrum accountabilities get distorted
Mechanical Scrum often includes “Scrum roles” in name only.
Common patterns include:
- the Scrum Master becomes an administrator or quasi-project manager
- the Scrum Master is blamed for missed dates or unhappy stakeholders
- the Product Owner becomes a messenger between developers and senior stakeholders
- developers are treated as task-takers rather than problem-solvers
Properly implemented Scrum requires real accountability.
The Product Owner is accountable for maximising value, and for managing the Product Backlog.
The Scrum Master is accountable for Scrum effectiveness, coaching the team and the organisation, and helping improve interactions so value can flow.
When the organisation does not support these accountabilities, Scrum becomes theatre.
4) Root causes of Mechanical Scrum
Mechanical Scrum is rarely caused by poor intent.
It usually comes from predictable system constraints.
Common root causes include:
- Lack of understanding: teams learn the mechanics but not the principles and values
- Organisational culture: hierarchy, silos, and “permission-seeking” behaviours slow learning
- Weak leadership buy-in: leaders ask for Agile outcomes, but behave in non-Agile ways
- Output pressure: delivery timelines are fixed without space for inspection and adaptation
- Misaligned incentives: teams are rewarded for busyness, not for customer outcomes
If you want a real-world example of how changing an operating model can remove friction and improve throughput, this case study is useful: Read the MTN procurement case study ↗
Results / expected outcomes
When you move from Mechanical Scrum to effective Scrum, the improvement is usually seen in delivery stability first, then in delivery speed.
Handled well, you can reasonably expect:
- clearer priorities and fewer competing “urgent” requests
- better transparency on progress, risk, and trade-offs
- reduced rework because feedback happens earlier
- stronger ownership and less dependency on escalation
- better engagement because teams see purpose and impact
What you should not promise is “automatic speed” just because you introduced Scrum Events.
The gains come from improving the system: work design, decision latency, dependencies, and leadership behaviours.
Practical takeaways / what to do next
If you suspect Mechanical Scrum, focus on course-correction, not blame.
Here are pragmatic steps that typically work in UAE/GCC environments.
1) Re-centre on value, not activity
Ask:
- what customer or stakeholder outcome are we trying to improve?
- what is the Product Goal, and is it understood by the team and stakeholders?
- do Sprint Goals represent real value, or just a list of tasks?
2) Fix the operating model constraints first
Mechanical Scrum often survives because the surrounding system forces it.
Look for:
- approval chains that break flow
- handoffs across silos that create waiting
- fragmented Product Ownership across multiple stakeholders
- dependency on a few “gatekeepers” for decisions or access
3) Educate all levels, not just teams
If only teams are trained, Agile becomes a local optimisation.
Invest in shared understanding for:
- senior leaders and middle management
- Product Owners and stakeholders
- Scrum Masters and delivery leadership
4) Create psychological safety with clear guardrails
Make it safe to learn, but keep accountability clear.
Practical guardrails include:
- agree what “safe to try” looks like
- treat good-faith failures as learning, not punishment
- use short feedback loops to reduce risk, not to create more reporting
5) Use the Scrum Values as your anti-mechanical checklist
Scrum Values are culture in action.
- Commitment: dedication to goals, not just task completion
- Courage: raising impediments, saying no when needed, tackling tough work
- Focus: protecting priority work and limiting distractions
- Openness: surfacing issues early and solving them together
- Respect: valuing people and respecting the framework, not bending it for convenience
Related reading
Relevant training courses
- Professional Scrum Master (PSM) ↗
- Applying Professional Scrum (APS) ↗
- Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills (PSFS) ↗
- Professional Agile Leadership Essentials (PAL-E) ↗
Conclusion
Mechanical Scrum is a common pitfall, and it is fixable.
The shift is not about adding more meetings or stricter templates. It is about improving culture, leadership behaviours, and the delivery system around the team.
When organisations choose to be Agile rather than do Agile, Scrum becomes a tool for transparency, learning, and value delivery, not ceremony theatre.
Contact us
If you want a pragmatic view on whether Mechanical Scrum is emerging, and what to change first, we can help.
Book a 30-minute diagnostic call ↗
