Scott M. Graffius’ “Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions” Featured in Prestigious National Academies of Sciences Publication
14 June 2025
BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com
Scott M. Graffius’ book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, is quoted and cited in a publication of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine—specifically in ACRP Research Report 223: Performance Measures for State Aviation Agencies.
An excerpt with the cover page of the publication follows.
This recognition carries significant weight. The National Academies are among the most respected institutions in the United States for providing independent, objective analysis and guidance to government, industry, and the public. Their research directly informs strategy and policy across a wide range of disciplines.
The respective publication is part of the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP), which is sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and administered by the Transportation Research Board (TRB). The publication is a practical guide for state aviation agencies, offering methodologies and best practices for performance measurement.
Graffius’ book is directly quoted in a section on balancing the scope and focus of performance metrics:
An excerpt showing the quote follows.
In addition to being quoted, the book is cited in the references section. Inclusion illustrates the relevance of Agile frameworks beyond the technology sector, extending into domains such as transportation, public administration, and infrastructure planning.
An excerpt showing the citation follows.
Being featured by a National Academies of Sciences publication is significant. Here’s why:
About Agile Scrum
Shifting customer needs are common in today's marketplace. Businesses must be adaptive and responsive to change while delivering an exceptional customer experience to be competitive. There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products and services, and most approaches fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices such as waterfall engage sequential development, while agile involves iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to manage projects, and best meet their business needs of rapid response to change, fast delivery speed, and more.
With clear and easy to follow step-by-step instructions, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions helps readers:
Agile Scrum is for those interested or involved in innovation, project management, product development, software development or technology management. It's for those who have not yet used Scrum. It's also for people already using Scrum, in roles such as Product Owners, Scrum Masters, Development Team members (business analysts, solution and system architects, designers, developers, testers, etc.), customers, end users, agile coaches, executives, managers, and other stakeholders. For those already using Scrum, this guide can serve as a reference on practices for consideration and potential adaptation.
Reactions to Agile Scrum have been fantastic:
Additionally, Agile Scrum has received 17 first place awards.
Credit to Chris Hare and Colin Giffen, the technical editors on the book.
Agile Scrum is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Harvard Book Store, and other sellers around the globe. Order your copy today!
About Performance Measures for State Aviation Agencies
Across the country, state transportation agencies of various modes have been required to incorporate performance measures into their core business functions. With this trend developing nationwide, the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Airport Cooperative Research Program's ACRP Research Report 223: Performance Measures for State Aviation Agencies developed PMs for the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) membership and their respective state aviation agencies.
The full report is publicly available via the National Academies at: https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25975.
Citation information:
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Performance Measures for State Aviation Agencies. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25975.
About the Transportation Research Board
The Transportation Research Board (TRB) is one of seven major programs of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The mission of the TRB is to provide leadership in transportation improvements and innovation through trusted, timely, impartial, and evidence-based information exchange, research, and advice regarding all modes of transportation. The program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation. Learn more at: https://www.TRB.org.
About The National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Lincoln, as a private, non-governmental institution to advise the nation on issues related to science and technology.
The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to bring the practices of engineering to advising the nation.
The National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) was established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the nation on medical and health issues.
The three Academies work together as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. The National Academies also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding in matters of science, engineering, and medicine.
Learn more at: https://www.nationalacademies.org.
More
Continue reading for:
About Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius is an AI, Agile, and Project Management/PMO leader, researcher, author, and speaker. Along the way, he spearheaded initiatives that have generated over $2.3 billion in impact for organizations across tech, entertainment, finance, healthcare, and beyond. The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.
Experience
Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.
Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.
He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.
Award-Winning Author
Graffius has authored three books.
International Public Speaker
Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. To date, Graffius has conducted 93 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.
With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.
The speaker engagement request form is here.
Thought Leadership and Influence
Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:
Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:
Additional details are here.
He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.
Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft
Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 100 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his 'Phases of Team Development' as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence.
The 2025 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.
Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms
Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His 'Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts' research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities such as the Center for Direct Marketing, Fast Company, GoDaddy, Pinterest Inc., and PNAS, among others, his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.
The 2025 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.
Education and Professional Certifications
Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:
He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management
Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.
Thought Leader | Public Speaker | Agile Protocol Book | Agile Scrum Book | Agile Transformation Book | Blog | Photo | X | LinkedIn | Email
Scott M. Graffius’ book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, is quoted and cited in a publication of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine—specifically in ACRP Research Report 223: Performance Measures for State Aviation Agencies.
An excerpt with the cover page of the publication follows.
This recognition carries significant weight. The National Academies are among the most respected institutions in the United States for providing independent, objective analysis and guidance to government, industry, and the public. Their research directly informs strategy and policy across a wide range of disciplines.
The respective publication is part of the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP), which is sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and administered by the Transportation Research Board (TRB). The publication is a practical guide for state aviation agencies, offering methodologies and best practices for performance measurement.
Graffius’ book is directly quoted in a section on balancing the scope and focus of performance metrics:
“If you don’t collect any metrics, you’re flying blind. If you collect and focus on too many, they may be obstructing your field of view.” — Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions (Graffius, 2016)
An excerpt showing the quote follows.
In addition to being quoted, the book is cited in the references section. Inclusion illustrates the relevance of Agile frameworks beyond the technology sector, extending into domains such as transportation, public administration, and infrastructure planning.
An excerpt showing the citation follows.
Being featured by a National Academies of Sciences publication is significant. Here’s why:
- National-Level Credibility: Being featured in a National Academies work reflects a high level of trust, academic rigor, and relevance. The publication process involves expert panels and peer review.
- Cross-Disciplinary Reach: While Agile and Scrum are typically associated with software development, Graffius’ work demonstrates value across sectors, reinforcing Agile’s adaptability and growing impact in government/public-sector environments.
- Enduring Educational Use: The report is published by the National Academies, ensuring long-term visibility among policymakers, researchers, consultants, and educators.
About Agile Scrum
Shifting customer needs are common in today's marketplace. Businesses must be adaptive and responsive to change while delivering an exceptional customer experience to be competitive. There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products and services, and most approaches fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices such as waterfall engage sequential development, while agile involves iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to manage projects, and best meet their business needs of rapid response to change, fast delivery speed, and more.
With clear and easy to follow step-by-step instructions, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions helps readers:
- Implement and use the most popular agile framework―Scrum
- Deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement
- Support innovation and drive competitive advantage
Agile Scrum is for those interested or involved in innovation, project management, product development, software development or technology management. It's for those who have not yet used Scrum. It's also for people already using Scrum, in roles such as Product Owners, Scrum Masters, Development Team members (business analysts, solution and system architects, designers, developers, testers, etc.), customers, end users, agile coaches, executives, managers, and other stakeholders. For those already using Scrum, this guide can serve as a reference on practices for consideration and potential adaptation.
Reactions to Agile Scrum have been fantastic:
- "One of the best Scrum books of all time" ― BookAuthority
- "The book highlights the versatility of Scrum beautifully" ― Literary Titan
- "A superbly written and presented guide to team-based project management that is applicable across a broad range of businesses from consumer products to high-tech" ― IndieBRAG
- "The book is excellent" ― Readers' Favorite
- "An all-inclusive instruction guide that is impressively 'user-friendly' in tone, content, clarity, organization, and presentation" ― Midwest Book Review
- "A must-have" ― PM World Journal
Additionally, Agile Scrum has received 17 first place awards.
Credit to Chris Hare and Colin Giffen, the technical editors on the book.
Agile Scrum is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Harvard Book Store, and other sellers around the globe. Order your copy today!
About Performance Measures for State Aviation Agencies
Across the country, state transportation agencies of various modes have been required to incorporate performance measures into their core business functions. With this trend developing nationwide, the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Airport Cooperative Research Program's ACRP Research Report 223: Performance Measures for State Aviation Agencies developed PMs for the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) membership and their respective state aviation agencies.
The full report is publicly available via the National Academies at: https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25975.
Citation information:
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Performance Measures for State Aviation Agencies. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25975.
About the Transportation Research Board
The Transportation Research Board (TRB) is one of seven major programs of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The mission of the TRB is to provide leadership in transportation improvements and innovation through trusted, timely, impartial, and evidence-based information exchange, research, and advice regarding all modes of transportation. The program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation. Learn more at: https://www.TRB.org.
About The National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Lincoln, as a private, non-governmental institution to advise the nation on issues related to science and technology.
The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to bring the practices of engineering to advising the nation.
The National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) was established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the nation on medical and health issues.
The three Academies work together as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. The National Academies also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding in matters of science, engineering, and medicine.
Learn more at: https://www.nationalacademies.org.
More
Continue reading for:
- About Scott M. Graffius,
- How to Cite This Article,
- and more.
About Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius is an AI, Agile, and Project Management/PMO leader, researcher, author, and speaker. Along the way, he spearheaded initiatives that have generated over $2.3 billion in impact for organizations across tech, entertainment, finance, healthcare, and beyond. The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.
Experience
Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.
Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.
He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.
Award-Winning Author
Graffius has authored three books.
- Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
- Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
- Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.
International Public Speaker
Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. To date, Graffius has conducted 93 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.
With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.
The speaker engagement request form is here.
Thought Leadership and Influence
Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:
- Adobe,
- American Management Association,
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
- Bayer,
- BMC Software,
- Boston University,
- Broadcom,
- Cisco,
- Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
- Computer Weekly,
- Constructor University - Germany,
- Data Governance Success,
- Deimos Aerospace,
- DevOps Institute,
- Dropbox,
- EU's European Commission,
- Ford Motor Company,
- Gartner,
- GoDaddy,
- Harvard Medical School,
- Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
- IEEE,
- Innovation Project Management,
- Johns Hopkins University,
- Journal of Neurosurgery,
- Lam Research (Semiconductors),
- Leadership Worthy,
- Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
- London South Bank University,
- Microsoft,
- NASSCOM,
- National Academy of Sciences,
- New Zealand Government,
- Oracle,
- Pinterest Inc.,
- Project Management Institute,
- Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
- SANS Institute,
- SBG Neumark - Germany,
- Singapore Institute of Technology,
- Torrens University - Australia,
- TBS Switzerland,
- Tufts University,
- UC San Diego,
- UK Sports Institute,
- University of Galway - Ireland,
- US Department of Energy,
- US National Park Service,
- US Soccer,
- US Tennis Association,
- Verizon,
- Wrike,
- Yale University,
- and many others.
Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:
- Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition.
- A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition.
- The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition.
- The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition.
Additional details are here.
He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.
Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft
Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 100 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his 'Phases of Team Development' as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence.
The 2025 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.
Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms
Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His 'Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts' research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities such as the Center for Direct Marketing, Fast Company, GoDaddy, Pinterest Inc., and PNAS, among others, his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.
The 2025 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.
Education and Professional Certifications
Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:
- Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
- Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
- Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
- Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
- Project Management Professional (PMP),
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
- IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).
He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management
Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.
Thought Leader | Public Speaker | Agile Protocol Book | Agile Scrum Book | Agile Transformation Book | Blog | Photo | X | LinkedIn | Email
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How to Cite This Article
Graffius, Scott M. (2025, June 14). Scott M. Graffius’ "Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions" Featured in Prestigious National Academies of Sciences Publication. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/content-from-agile-scrum-by-scott-m-graffius-featured-in-publication-of-national-academies-of-sciences.html. 
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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Content Acknowledgements
Performance Measures for State Aviation Agencies is a publication of the National Academy of Sciences.
This article includes brief excerpts from Performance Measures for State Aviation Agencies, attributed and used under fair use for news reporting and analysis.
National Academy of Sciences name, mark, and content are the property of the National Academy of Sciences.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
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Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.