It also depends on the nature of the work. Is it more mechanical, a more-or-less straightforward implementation of a spec? Or does it require real creativity, i

It also depends on the nature of the work. Is it more mechanical, a more-or-less straightforward implementation of a spec? Or does it require real creativity, invention, non-linear thinking? Anyone who truly understands the creative process knows you have to give it freedom. Scrum might have valuable in big hierarchical companies or when there are many average-talent programmers, but there's no way I'd foist it on a team of smart developers much less and early stage startup.