Light-Weight Scrum, eScrum and Conchango ... why three process templates?

With the VSTS (Light-Weight) Scrum, the eScrum and the Conchango we have three scrum process templates. Where can you get these, what are they and why are there three different scrum process templates?

VSTS (Light-Weight) Scrum

http://www.codeplex.com/VSTSScrum

Created and maintained by Team System MVPs, the VSTS Light-Weight Scrum Process template is based on the powerful Agile methodology and the MSF Agile principles, delivering familiarity to both Agile and MSF users. It is a light-weight version of the Scrum process template, which is well suited for small to medium team projects, featuring a comprehensive process guidance and further coverage in the Team System quick reference posters (JPG, PDF) and the book Software Engineers on their way to Pluto.

eScrum

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=55A4BDE6-10A7-4C41-9938-F388C1ED15E9&displaylang=en

As per the site, it "is a Web-based, end-to-end project management tool for Scrum built on the Microsoft Visual Studio Team Foundation Server platform. It provides multiple ways to interact with your Scrum project: eScrum Web-based UI, Team Explorer, and Excel or Project, via Team Foundation Office Integration. In addition, it provides a single place for all Scrum artifacts such as product backlog, sprint backlog, task management, retrospective, and reports with built-in context sensitive help".

Conchango

http://www.scrumforteamsystem.com

Scrum for Team System provides development teams with deep support for the use of Scrum and is backed by Scrum and Agile champions such as Ken Schwaber.

Why three?

Well, we created the light-Weight Scrum process template as we felt at the time Conchango was difficult to install and configure. When eScrum was released, it presented even more features and ways for team project users to interact with their scrum based project, however, again the installation and configuration proved to be challenging. More importantly both these process templates are heavy in terms of features, making them a challenge and often overhead to use in small team project environments.

It is important to emphasise that each process template has its place, each is based on Scrum and each should be evaluated by you to determine the fit in your environment. Make sure that you select one or more templates that blends into your environment, not visa versa. We are therefore not promoting any one over the other ... you need to make a call after evaluating each process template.