The Sharing Is Skilling journey continues — and today, we shine a light on a question that comes up again and again:
“Agile and Scrum sound great… but where can they actually be used?”
The honest answer is simple : way beyond the information technology sector.
Although Agile and Scrum were born in software development, their principles — adaptability, collaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement — have proven to be universal. Wherever people work together to create value in an uncertain environment, Agile can take root.
Let’s explore how different industries are already using Agile and Scrum in meaningful ways.
Agile was originally created to address the challenges of software development: rapidly changing requirements, complex systems, and the need for frequent feedback. In IT, Agile and Scrum help teams deliver working solutions incrementally, test ideas early, and adapt quickly to user needs. This iterative approach reduces risk and ensures that what is built remains relevant throughout the project lifecycle.
Marketing teams operate in fast-moving environments where trends, channels, and audience behavior change constantly. Agile allows marketing professionals to plan in short cycles, test ideas quickly, and adjust campaigns based on real data rather than assumptions. Scrum brings structure without limiting creativity, helping teams deliver value continuously instead of waiting for “perfect” campaigns.
Agile fits naturally into product management because it places users at the center of decision-making. Product teams use Agile and Scrum to validate ideas early, prioritize based on value, and continuously refine their products through feedback. Rather than launching once and hoping for success, teams learn and improve with every iteration.
Agile Product Management (Scrum.org)
While events have fixed deadlines, the journey leading up to them — and beyond — is highly adaptable. Agile thinking helps event teams plan iteratively, collaborate closely with stakeholders, and continuously improve experiences based on attendee feedback. For recurring events, Scrum-inspired retrospectives become a powerful tool for learning and evolution.
HR teams increasingly adopt Agile to become more responsive, collaborative, and employee-centered. Agile HR focuses on continuous feedback, experimentation, and cross-functional teamwork. This approach allows HR departments to adapt policies, improve employee experience, and support organizational change more effectively.
In education, Agile helps teachers, trainers, and institutions adapt learning experiences based on real learner needs. Courses can evolve over time, teaching methods can be tested and refined, and students can collaborate more effectively. Scrum is even used as a learning framework to teach teamwork, responsibility, and self-organization.
Although finance and banking are highly regulated, Agile has proven valuable for digital transformation and process improvement initiatives. Agile allows financial institutions to innovate safely by delivering small, controlled increments, gathering feedback, and adjusting without disrupting core systems.
Agile organizations (McKinsey)
In healthcare, Agile is applied to digital solutions, operational improvements, and research projects. By encouraging collaboration and incremental delivery, Agile helps teams respond to complexity while maintaining a strong focus on patient outcomes and quality of care.
Agile in Healthcare (Agile Alliance)
Content and media teams use Agile to manage continuous publishing cycles, digital platforms, and evolving audience needs. Agile brings rhythm and transparency to creative work, allowing teams to plan, produce, review, and improve content without stifling innovation.
For startups, Agile is often less a choice and more a necessity. With limited resources and high uncertainty, Agile helps founders test assumptions, pivot quickly, and build products that users truly want. Learning fast is often the key to survival.
Agile and Scrum are not industry-specific frameworks — they are human-centered ways of working. Wherever there is uncertainty, collaboration, and a need to deliver value, Agile can be applied.
As Sharing Is Skilling continues it journey, we’ll explore when Agile fits best, when it doesn’t, and how teams can start small without fear.
Because sharing knowledge is how we grow — and skilling up is how we evolve.
Stay tuned ! 😊
By the same author:
🧾 10 Things You Should Know About Agile Project Management
🧾 Agile Wings — Why I Prefer Agile & Scrum Over Traditional Project Management
🧾 From Stage Lights to Project Timelines — Why Event Coordinators Make Natural Project Managers
🧾 New Series: Sharing is Skilling
Image: Istock
With almost 15 years of experience in events, customer relations, and project coordination, I’ve built my career around bringing ideas to life.
