When I first encountered Thierry’s vision for The Illustrated Scrum Guide, I immediately saw its potential to make a profound impact on the way teams understand and apply Scrum.

In the world of Agile, clarity is crucial, and this book brilliantly leverages the power of visuals to bring the principles and practices of Scrum to life.

Scrum, by design, is a lightweight yet powerful framework—one that thrives on simplicity, transparency, and adaptability. But as simple as it may appear, the essence of Scrum can sometimes feel elusive, especially for those new to the methodology.

This guide transforms the learning curve into an engaging journey, making complex concepts more tangible and accessible through thoughtful illustrations.

What sets this book apart is how it distills the core ideas of the Scrum Guide into something that resonates on a deeper level.

It doesn’t just present the framework; it breathes life into it. Each page invites you to see Scrum not just as a set of rules, but as a dynamic approach to problem-solving, one that can adapt to the needs of any team or organization.

It shows that Scrum is more than a process—it’s a mindset that empowers teams to deliver value consistently, even in the face of uncertainty. Whether you’re a seasoned Scrum Master or just beginning your Agile journey, The Illustrated Scrum Guide will be your trusted companion.

Thierry’s insights, paired with practical visuals, create a resource that is as enjoyable to explore as it is informative. It’s a guide that doesn’t just teach Scrum—it inspires you to embrace its spirit, to think differently, and to unlock the true potential of your teams. Dive into these pages and rediscover the power of Scrum. Use it as a tool to foster collaboration, to drive continuous improvement, and most importantly, to deliver results that matter.

Welcome to a new way of seeing Scrum.

Jeff, October 2024

When Thierry first shared his vision for an illustrated Scrum guide, I immediately recognized the great educational nature of this initiative. In the agile world, where clarity and collaboration are paramount, visual communication is fundamental. Despite its power, Scrum as a framework, often presents itself as an abstract concept, particularly to the beginners. This book, The Illustrated Scrum Guide, bridges that gap, offering a fresh, visual approach to a methodology that has revolutionized team dynamics and project management.

Our professional paths first intersected at Airbus, where we were both deeply involved in the company's ambitious industrial transformation. It was in this crucible of change that I first witnessed Thierry's extraordinary gift for distilling complex ideas into accessible concepts. His introduction of sketch-noting and graphic facilitation techniques to leaders and change agents was pivotal for our mission. We all learned a lot from him and these tools have opened new avenues for communication and understanding. Thierry's unique talent for visual storytelling, evident on every page of this guide, transforms abstract Scrum principles into tangible, actionable insights.

This book goes beyond merely explaining Scrum - it makes the methodology tangibly applicable. The illustrations breathe life into the framework's roles, events, and artifacts, transforming theoretical concepts into practical, accessible tools. Whether you're discovering Scrum or you're an experienced Scrum Master, this guide bridges the gap between theory and practice, demonstrating how to apply Scrum to real-world challenges.

Agile's strength lies in its promotion of transparency, communication, and collaboration. Visualization actively supports these principles by helping teams align on their objectives and manage complexity. By translating abstract concepts into clear, engaging visuals, this guide not only helps readers understand Scrum but empowers them to adapt it to their specific context.

Thierry's approach masterfully balances creativity and rigor. His illustrations aren't mere decorations - they facilitate deep understanding, making this guide accessible to all. The practical relevance of his insights, drawn from concrete experiences, gives this work a dimension that transcends pure theory.

It's a privilege to introduce this book. Thierry has succeeded in merging pedagogy, creativity, and deep expertise in Scrum into an essential resource. I'm convinced that The Illustrated Scrum Guide will become an indispensable reference for Agile professionals and teams.

May this work inspire you, as it has inspired me, to see Scrum - and Agile - as a flexible, visual, and deeply human approach to collaboration and problem-solving.

  Rachel, October 2024

The agile world has been there for 3 decades now. Even before writing the manifesto, the thinking and working was there from the early nineties or even before. On my side visual management has always been essential in the work to help myself and the team. Even more it was and is used for communication and alignment with the “outside world”.

The amount of time you save, and the quality of information transfer are both so incredible impacted by visual management that for me, within the benefits agile can bring, they can’t be missed.

I met Thierry years ago and his involvement in both the agile world and the skill of visualization have always been very present in his life. Often people underestimate the value of visual management in the organization and the team space. Walking into team space and seeing clean walls always makes me nervous. Not with Thierry. His daily practice and contribution to the agile world are very impressive. Just read this book and start. Start doing it or use to start improving what you do at the moment and enjoy the effect.

  Arie, October 2024

Have you ever met someone who truly lives and breathes agile? I mean “really” lives it, not just in the workplace, but in every aspect of their life? Meet Thierry, a rare breed of agile coach who even taught his kids how to manage their chores with a Scrum board (yes, really!). I first encountered Thierry's infectious enthusiasm for agile when I joined Nowshak, a company he co-founded, as a coach and facilitator in 2021. Nowshak isn't just a consultancy; it's a community of passionate individuals dedicated to driving positive change through human-centric agile practices.

From day one, I was struck by Thierry's exceptional talent as a facilitator, coach, and visual storyteller. He has a knack for making complex concepts accessible and engaging, turning agile principles into a vibrant and practical way of working. Thierry's deep understanding of agile comes from over 20 years of experience in the field. He has witnessed firsthand the triumphs and pitfalls of agile transformations, and ever since, he's been distilling those lessons into this insightful adaptation of the 2020 Scrum Guide.

In my own experience, too often, even the most trailblazing organizations approach agile transformations as a simple checklist of tools and processes, missing the crucial human element.

They either strive for an overly perfect "by-the-book" implementation or fall into the trap of "Scrum-washing": masking traditional waterfall practices with agile terminology.

The outcome?

Frustration, disillusionment, and ultimately, failure. And this is where this book can be a genuine game changer by offering a refreshing antidote to these common mistakes, as Thierry emphasizes the importance of adapting agile to the unique DNA of each organization– its culture, values, constraints, and talents.

He will guide you through a journey of discovery, helping you understand the true essence of agile and how to cultivate it organically, within your teams.

Filled with practical tips, real-world examples, and Thierry's signature visual aids, this book is an invaluable resource for agile coaches, Scrum Masters, product owners, and anyone seeking to unlock the full potential of agile.

Dive in, discover the transformative power of authentic agility & get ready to be inspired!

  Lina, October 2024

In a constantly evolving world, work approaches must adapt to new market constraints and the growing need for flexibility and collaboration.

The Scrum framework is a true ally for organizations and teams eager to create value in complex environments. It is accessible to everyone, regardless of their industry.

Scrum is built on a set of simple and concise rules, as outlined in the Scrum Guide. As a Professional Scrum Trainer, it took me years to fully master Scrum, embody its philosophy, and unlock all its benefits to build engaged and fulfilled teams that create high-value products.

However, understanding each of its subtleties—essential to successful implementation—is not easy. As a result, I often see misinterpretations and poor adaptations of Scrum, even from Scrum Masters and coaches (!), which lead to teams that struggle and fail to deliver sufficient value.

In his book The Illustrated Scrum Guide, Thierry offers a visual approach that makes Scrum’s fundamental principles both accessible and understandable, along with some useful complementary practices.

I am convinced that each illustration will deepen the understanding of these concepts, spark reflections and enriching discussions, and most importantly, inspire concrete actions within the teams fortunate enough to discover this book.

  Jean-Christophe, October 2024