A Multiple Case Study on the Architect's Role in Scrum

Context: Previous research investigated how to approach architecting in agile projects (e.g., in terms of processes and practices), but the role that architects play in Scrum is still not well understood. Objective: We aim at capturing scenarios of how architects (or those taking on architecture-related tasks) are involved in Scrum. Furthermore, we aim at identifying how those taking on the role of the architect interact with other roles in Scrum. Method: We conducted a multiple case study and interviews with practitioners from six Dutch software organizations. Results: We identified three generic scenarios of architects in Scrum ("internal architect", "external architect", "internal and external architects"). We found that how architects interact with other roles in Scrum heavily depends on the Product Owner role. Conclusions: Some of our results are not in line with recommended practices in the Scrum Guide. Our findings support those who take on architecture-related tasks in preparing for Scrum-like projects.