What foundational concept does Scrum rely on?

Scrum is fundamentally built on the concept of empirical process control. This approach emphasizes that knowledge comes from experience and decisions are made based on what is known. Empirical process control involves three key pillars: transparency, inspection, and adaptation.

In the context of Scrum, transparency ensures that all aspects of the process are visible to those responsible for the outcome, which fosters trust and enables informed decision-making. Ongoing inspection allows the team to evaluate progress and process effectiveness, facilitating timely adjustments based on feedback. Finally, adaptation ensures that the team can respond to changes in the environment and the product, enabling continuous improvement.

The other choices, while related to managing work and developing products, do not align as directly with the core tenets of Scrum. Defined processes imply a more rigid approach, which might not accommodate the flexibility that Scrum promotes. Lean methodology focuses on maximizing value while minimizing waste but does not encapsulate all aspects of Scrum. Agile principles provide a broader framework for software development, and while Scrum aligns with Agile, it specifically operates under the umbrella of empirical process control.

Thus, empirical process control is the foundational concept that guides Scrum's operations, promoting iterativeness, flexibility, and responsiveness essential for effective team collaboration and product delivery.