Sophie Bennett
The chicken and the pig is a business fable used in the Scrum process to differentiate between roles in the Agile world. The fable goes that a chicken and a pig decide to open a restaurant together—the chicken will supply the eggs, and the pig the bacon. The pig replies that it would be fully committed, but the chicken would only be involved. In the context of Agile, chickens are involved but not accountable for outcomes, such as stakeholders and managers. Pigs, on the other hand, are committed to the project's success and include the development team, Scrum Master, and Product Owner. While the fable is no longer officially used in Scrum guides due to its controversial nature, it remains a useful metaphor for understanding the varying levels of commitment and involvement in a project.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Role | Involved |
| Level of Commitment | Low |
| Accountability | Low |
| Responsibility | Low |
| Power Dynamics | Low |
| Relationship to Project | Peripheral |
| Scrum Role | Chicken |
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What You'll Learn
The chicken and the pig story
The fable runs as follows: A chicken and a pig are walking down the road. The chicken suggests that they open a restaurant together, with the chicken supplying the eggs and the pig supplying the bacon. The pig replies that this would mean the chicken is only involved, while the pig is fully committed.
In the context of Agile project management, the chicken and the pig symbolize different roles and levels of commitment. The pig represents those who are deeply committed to the project's success, such as the development team members, Scrum Master, and Product Owner. They have skin in the game and are responsible for ensuring that the project is completed. On the other hand, the chicken represents those who are involved but not accountable for the outcomes, such as stakeholders, managers, and vendors. They may provide input on the product but do not have the same level of commitment as the pig.
The chicken and pig metaphor was used to emphasize the importance of decision-making responsibilities and active contributions to the product development process. It reflected the need for clarity on roles within a Scrum team. However, the metaphor was also controversial, with some arguing that it created unnecessary division and negative power dynamics. As a result, it was removed from the official Scrum Guide, with the belief that it is better to discuss accountability directly rather than through metaphor.
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Commitment to a project
The chicken and pig story is a well-known metaphor in agile project management that illustrates the different levels of commitment and involvement of stakeholders in a project. In this metaphor, the pig is fully committed to the project, representing team members who are essential to the project's success and are willing to sacrifice something valuable. On the other hand, the chicken is only involved, representing stakeholders who are interested in the project and may provide input or feedback but are not as accountable for the outcomes.
The story emphasizes the importance of having a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder. By defining these roles and responsibilities, agile teams can ensure that everyone is committed to the project's success and aligned with its goals, scope, and requirements.
To increase stakeholder commitment, agile leaders can use techniques such as stakeholder analysis matrices to map out the level of influence and interest of each stakeholder. This allows leaders to plan their communication and interaction with each stakeholder group effectively and foster a culture of accountability and ownership.
Agile teams also approach commitment differently compared to traditional project management methods. Agile teams commit to projects incrementally as they gain a deeper understanding of the work by breaking it down into smaller tasks. This allows them to be more honest and transparent about their level of commitment and to adapt to challenges that may arise.
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Involvement vs commitment
The chicken and the pig story is a business fable used in the Scrum process to differentiate between roles in the Agile world. The fable goes like this: A chicken and a pig are walking down the road. The chicken says to the pig, "Hey, let's open a restaurant!" The pig thinks for a moment and asks, "What would we call it?" The chicken replies, "How about 'Ham and Eggs'?" The pig says, "No thanks. I'd be committed, but you'd only be involved."
The chicken and the pig symbolize different roles in the Scrum process. The pig is "committed", while the chicken is "involved". The pig has to sacrifice its flesh (the ham) and hence must be committed to producing the meal. On the other hand, the chicken gives up its eggs, contributing to the meal, but without the same level of sacrifice as the pig.
In the context of Agile projects, the fable is used to highlight the different levels of commitment and involvement of stakeholders. Commitment means that a stakeholder is willing to dedicate their time, energy, and resources to the project and take responsibility for its outcome. They have "skin in the game". Involvement means that a stakeholder is interested in the project and may provide input or feedback, but does not have the same level of accountability or ownership as a committed stakeholder.
It is important to identify the pigs and chickens on an Agile team to form a clear chain of command. For example, the development team members, Scrum Master, and Product Owner are usually the pigs, while stakeholders and managers are the chickens. However, the chicken and pig analogy has been controversial and is no longer included in the official Scrum Guide as it may create unnecessary division and spur negative power dynamics.
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Roles and responsibilities
The "Chicken and Pig" metaphor is used in Agile project management to differentiate between team members based on their level of commitment to the project. The metaphor is derived from a joke about a chicken and a pig discussing opening a restaurant together. The chicken offers to supply the eggs, while the pig would provide the bacon. The pig replies that this would mean it is fully committed, whereas the chicken is only involved.
In the context of Agile, the chickens represent the committed stakeholders, such as product owners, product development team members, or Scrum Masters, who are accountable for the project's outcome. They are "fully committed" to the project's success. On the other hand, the pigs represent non-committed stakeholders like customers and general managers, who are involved in the project but do not bear the responsibility if it fails.
The Scrum Master is a crucial role in Agile frameworks, particularly Scrum. They facilitate daily stand-up meetings, coach the team, and manage sprint reviews and feedback. Scrum Masters also assist in removing obstacles that may hinder the team's productivity and help build a culture that supports Scrum.
The Product Owner is another essential role in Agile. They manage the product roadmap, prioritize the backlog, and define the product vision. Product Owners make key decisions and ensure the team is focused on delivering value to the customer. They also manage stakeholders and communicate effectively with them to understand their needs and make adjustments.
The Solution Development Team forms the "engine room" of the project and includes roles such as Business Ambassador, Solution Developer, Solution Tester, Business Analyst, and Team Leader. These roles collectively shape and build the solution, ensuring its fitness for the business purpose.
Agile teams operate with a shared goal and emphasize collaboration and self-organization. While there are clear roles, Agile focuses more on outcomes than titles. Team members take on key responsibilities, and everyone is accountable for delivering results. The leadership style is facilitative and empowering, allowing teams to learn, reflect, and adapt as they work towards their goals.
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The controversy
The chicken and pig metaphor was created by Ken Schwaber in the early days of Scrum. It was used to differentiate between the levels of commitment of different stakeholders in a project. The pig and chicken fable goes as follows:
> A Chicken and a Pig are talking. The Chicken suggests, "Let's open a restaurant together! I'll supply the eggs, and you supply the bacon." The Pig replies, "That would mean I'm fully committed, but you're only involved."
In the context of Scrum, chickens have input on the product that will be developed, but pigs decide how it's going to be done and the rate at which it can be accomplished. The pig is "committed" to the project, while the chicken is merely "involved". The pig has "skin in the game", while the chicken is just a vendor or supplier.
However, the use of this metaphor became controversial. Some argued that the terms were harmful and derogatory, creating unnecessary division and negative behaviour. The labels were also being used to create barriers between the Scrum team and individuals in the organization who could assist the team in meeting its goals. For example, some key members of an organization would pull themselves away from a Scrum team with comments such as, "I know I'm just a chicken, so I can't say anything".
Due to the controversy, the fable was removed from the Scrum Guide. Jeff Sutherland, one of the creators of Scrum, stated that it was better to discuss accountability directly in the guide, rather than through metaphor. He also acknowledged that the labels could create barriers between team members and that it was important to focus on the shared vision of the team rather than what sets them apart.
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Frequently asked questions
The chicken represents the stakeholders who are involved in the project but are not committed or responsible if it fails.
The pig represents the development team members who are committed to the project's success and are responsible for the outcome.
Customers, managers, executives, and other important people with a vision are considered chickens in the Agile methodology.
