Scrum and Kanban are two popular agile frameworks for software development. They both aim to deliver value to customers faster and more efficiently, but they have different approaches and principles. In this article, you will learn how to distinguish between Scrum and Kanban, and how to choose the best one for your project.
Scrum is a framework that divides the software development process into fixed-length iterations called sprints, usually lasting from one to four weeks. Each sprint has a goal, a scope, and a timebox. The team works together to plan, design, develop, test, and deliver a potentially shippable product increment at the end of each sprint. Scrum also defines three roles: the product owner, who represents the customer and prioritizes the product backlog; the scrum master, who facilitates the scrum process and removes impediments; and the development team, who self-organizes and delivers the product.
Like all AI articles, this one inaccurate and misses the point. Scrum is primarily intended to deal with complex work requiring continuous *inspection and adaptation* in order to produce optimal results. Likewise, Kanban is not nearly as much about managing work as it is about improving the *system* of work. It also does not require a "Kanban board," although many find that practice helpful. Using Scrum mechanically for simple work, or using it without adaptation is like using a hammer to screw in a light bulb. Using Kanban solely to keep an eye on the quantity and speed of work is like filling milk into gas tanks, especially when "there is nothing quite as useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all."
Scrum is lightweight product delivery framework, used more widely than in just software. Scrum encourages breaking work down into bite-sized pieces, called sprints; a series of short races rather than a marathon. In each sprint, the team commits to delivering a small, but complete portion of the product. The product owner plays the role of a guide, ensuring the team knows what's most important for end-users. The scrum master acts as a coach, helping the team navigate any roadblocks and ensuring they stay true to the principles of Scrum. And the development team who decide how they'll work and what they can achieve in each sprint. These 3 roles form a balanced trio that, working in harmony, can produce consistent and high-quality results.
Enquanto o Scrum tem sua base na prescri??o, trazendo muita "revolu??o" no ambiente em que se implementa, o Kanban vem para se acoplar com o que é feito atualmente na organiza??o, se prop?e a evoluir a cultura trazendo práticas ao dia a dia das equipes para maximizar o valor na entrega de resultados.
Scrum ist iterativ-incrementell, Koanban kontinuierlich durchflussoptimiert. Beide schliessen sich nicht gegenseitig aus sondern k?nnen auch in Kombination existieren. Aber bitte nennt es nur nicht Scrumban. ??
Scrum is a framework that uses agile help to provide a product increase. based in cross-disciplinary teams, giving the opportunity to all members to contribute based on their own expertise and also acquired expertise in some areas needed in the product.
Kanban is a framework that focuses on visualizing the flow of work and limiting the work in progress (WIP). It does not prescribe any roles, timeboxes, or ceremonies. Instead, it uses a Kanban board, which is a tool that shows the stages of the work from start to finish, and the number of work items allowed in each stage. The team pulls work from the backlog as they have capacity, and moves it along the board until it is done. Kanban also encourages continuous improvement by measuring and optimizing the cycle time, throughput, and quality of the work.
Many of the things written here are plain wrong - when talking about Kanban as in the Kanban Method, the first thing to consider is: it is NOT a framework nor a methodology but a Method to (possibly) create a fitting Environment along the way. Oftentimes focussing improvements along the 6 Practices. It is not rooted in the 12 Agile Principles, as many ideas predate the Manifesto for Agile Software Development. With it you can start with any kind of underlying Process (from classical PM to Lean Startup to anything else) and improve evolutionary along the way. Comparing Kanban to Scrum is like comparing Orange Trees to Oranges If you want to learn more about the Kanban Method - join one of my trainings with 20% off - Keyword "#Understanding"
Kanban is a methodology used in kaizen, and as part of it a Lean methodology that procures to find the possible bottlenecks of the process providing the opportunity to improve the flow and identify the steps. Creating the possible steps is key to understanding the process, and when a possible blocker of the flow, for this is almost needed to create a process flow in order to create and visualize each of the steps and keep improving the flows. Kanban has the advantage that can easily be applied at different levels of the same team and within just a team, for example is pretty easy to have a Kanban for the team level, program level, and portfolio level. and keep them connected according to the team that is using it
Kanban, rooted in Lean and Agile principles, is a workflow management approach focused on efficiency and flexibility. Key aspects include visualizing work on a board with columns representing stages, limiting work in progress (WIP), and using a pull system to manage tasks based on team capacity. Kanban promotes continuous improvement through regular reflection, emphasizes cycle time and lead time analysis, and adapts to changing demands. It encourages collaboration, supports value-driven work, and suits dynamic environments seeking streamlined processes
One of the main differences between Scrum and Kanban is the level of flexibility and adaptability. Scrum is more rigid and prescriptive, as it requires the team to commit to a fixed scope and time for each sprint, and to follow a set of rules and ceremonies. Kanban is more fluid and responsive, as it allows the team to change the scope and priority of the work at any time, and to adjust the process as they go. Another difference is the level of collaboration and communication. Scrum fosters a high level of teamwork and alignment, as it requires the team to plan, review, and reflect together regularly, and to share a common goal and vision. Kanban promotes a high level of autonomy and transparency, as it empowers the team to self-manage their work and to see the status and progress of the work at a glance.
Simply put Scrum is a delivery framework whereas Kanban is an improvement framework. Scrum gives teams a framework which ends up with delivering incremental value of a product in short iterations with quick feedback loops. Kanban is applied on top of an existing process to improve it and make it more efficient.
Scrum and Kanban are distinct Agile methodologies with differing approaches. Scrum utilizes time-boxed sprints (2-4 weeks) for fixed scopes, fostering structured planning and delivery. Roles like Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Development Team are pivotal, along with ceremonies like planning, stand-ups, review, and retrospective. Kanban, on the other hand, stresses continuous flow without fixed time frames. Visualizing work on a board, it employs WIP limits and a pull-based system. Scrum's roles provide clear responsibilities, while Kanban offers flexibility and collaborative autonomy. Choosing between them hinges on project needs and desired process structure.
Scrum organizes work into fixed time periods called "sprints" (typically 2-4 weeks). During each sprint, a defined set of tasks is worked on, and the team commits to completing them by the end of the sprint. Kanban is more fluid and doesn't have fixed timeframes. It visualizes work on a board, and tasks move through various stages (e.g., to-do, in progress, done) as capacity allows. There are no set sprint lengths. If your project has rapidly changing requirements and needs flexibility, Kanban may be a better choice. On the other hand, if you prefer structured, time-bound planning with regular reviews and adjustments, Scrum might be more suitable. Choose the one that aligns with your project's needs and team's working style.
Scrum and Kanban are complementary frameworks. Kanban only defines flow and scheduling concepts, while Scrum defines a team structure, events, values, artifacts. Choosing between one and the other depends on what you want "off the shelf" and what you want to develop by yourself. Since the frameworks do not define overlapping concepts, there's no point to talk about differences because almost everything is different. The only thing to mention is that Kanban promotes continuous delivery but does not impose any maximum delivery time frames. Scrum does impose a max delivery timeframe and an attached scope. That's not to say that you cannot deliver continuously in Scrum, you can! In fact, Scrum and Kanban can be used together.
The main difference (imho) is that Scrum is focussed on developing (at least) one working increment per iteration. Scrum teams are working against a specific goal. That is not the idea of Kanban. Kanban focusses on optimizing the throughput of continous work streams. (and btw my trigger to consider Scrumban: when Scrum teams are not able to phrase Sprint goals regularly)
Both Scrum and Kanban have their advantages and disadvantages, depending on the context and goals of the project. Some of the pros of Scrum are: it provides a clear structure and guidance for the team; it ensures frequent feedback and validation from the customer; it promotes innovation and creativity by allowing the team to experiment and learn. Some of the cons of Scrum are: it can be challenging to estimate and plan accurately for each sprint; it can create pressure and stress for the team to meet the sprint deadlines; it can be difficult to accommodate changes and emergencies during the sprint. Some of the pros of Kanban are: it enables the team to respond quickly and efficiently to changing customer needs and priorities; it reduces waste and improves quality by limiting the WIP and focusing on the flow of value; it supports continuous improvement and optimization by measuring and analyzing the performance of the work. Some of the cons of Kanban are: it can be hard to define and communicate the scope and vision of the product; it can create silos and dependencies among the team members and stakeholders; it can be prone to overloading and bottlenecks if the WIP limits are not respected and enforced.
Scrum: Pros: Offers structured sprints for planning and predictability. Roles ensure accountability. Ceremonies enhance communication and improvement. Suited for stable projects and teams. Cons: Fixed sprint scope may hinder changes. Role definitions bottleneck communication. Ceremonies time-consuming for small projects. Learning curve for transitioning teams. Kanban: Pros: Enables continuous flow, optimizing efficiency. Flexible, allows real-time adaptations. No fixed roles, encourages collaboration. Ideal for evolving projects. Cons: Undefined roles could confuse responsibilities. Less predictability due to no fixed sprints. Visual emphasis might need tools for remote teams. Constant changes challenge non-Agile teams.
There is no definitive answer to which framework is better or worse for software development. The best way to choose between Scrum and Kanban is to consider the following factors: the nature and complexity of the product; the size and maturity of the team; the expectations and involvement of the customer; the degree of uncertainty and variability of the work; the culture and values of the organization. Depending on these factors, you may find that Scrum, Kanban, or a hybrid of both suits your project best. You may also experiment with different elements of each framework and see what works and what doesn't for your team. The most important thing is to keep in mind the agile principles and values, and to deliver value to your customer as fast and as often as possible.
We should stop choosing between Scrum and Kanban. You should be asking two separate questions: Do I use Kanban? Do I use Scrum? Scrum vs Kanban is a false dichotomy.
It is also possible to have the so-called "best of both world's approach", where you combine some key elements of Kanban with Scrum. This leads to what is now commonly referred to as the ScrumBan approach.
I would say you don't have to choose. According to ProKanban.org Kanban is a strategy for optimising the flow of value through a process that uses a visual, pull-based system. It uses 3 important practices: 1. Defining and visualising a workflow 2. Actively managing items in a workflow 3. Improving a workflow These practices can perfectly co-exist on top of a team using scrum. Scrum is a framework teams can use to structure their way of working. On top of that you can adhere to the kanban practices to help you managing all of the work flowing through your process. So there is not really a choice between kanban or scrum as they both have a different goal.
Choosing between Scrum and Kanban hinges on project dynamics. Opt for Scrum if stability is key, requiring clear roles, fixed sprints, and structured ceremonies. It suits complex projects with evolving but defined requirements. Kanban suits dynamic environments, providing flexibility, continuous flow, and minimal roles. If unpredictability and real-time adaptations are vital, opt for Kanban. Consider team familiarity and willingness to adapt when deciding, aligning the chosen approach with project goals and team strengths.
Be careful lining up scrum next to kanban. They both have their usecases, which are different from each other. I would recommend using them both at the same time as you then can reap the benefits from both the framework scrum is offering and the practices kanban is laying on top of it. No need to set the two apart. This discussions leads us away from what really matters: getting the best out of individuals, teams and organisations. This needs much more than 1 framework or methodology or practice.
Scrum and Kanban could be seen as two sides of the same coin; both aim to deliver quality valuable outcomes to the stakeholders in an incremental fashion, in some scenarios applying Kanban with Scrum can help turbo-charge Scrum by putting additional focus on how the the team can reduce waste.
Simplistically, Scrum is Batch Processing whereas Kanban is Continuous Delivery. If you get get your batch sizes in Scrum sufficiently small, e.g. not a single shippable increment every two weeks, then it’s likely that your Scrum ways of working will evolve into Kanban, starting with a Kanban board inside a sprint.
Scrum and Kanban can be used together, a practice often referred to as "Scrumban." This hybrid approach allows teams to harness the strengths of both methodologies: - Scrum elements - you can maintain Scrum's fixed-length sprints and ceremonies like sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and sprint reviews for structured planning and regular team synchronization. - Kanban elements - simultaneously, you can introduce Kanban's visual work board and flow-based approach to manage tasks within the sprint. This allows for flexibility within the sprint, as new tasks can be added as needed without disrupting the sprint commitment.
In addition to project characteristics, consider team dynamics, customer preferences, and organizational culture. For Scrum, ensure a committed team for structured sprints. Assess whether roles fit team strengths. If customers desire predictability and defined increments, Scrum suits. For Kanban, evaluate team autonomy and adaptability. If customers prefer continuous delivery and quick response to changes, Kanban fits. Company culture matters; Scrum might align with structured environments, while Kanban adapts well in innovative, fast-paced settings. Assessing these factors aligns the chosen methodology with team, customer, and organizational needs.