"ScrumBan" Project Management

"Scrumban is like peanut butter and jelly - two great tastes that taste great together!" - Corey Ladas, author of "Scrumban: Essays on Kanban Systems for Lean Software Development"

Are you tired of playing the Scrum and Kanban game of 'rock, paper, scissors' to decide which framework to use for your project? Well, fear not my friends, because Scrumban is here to save the day! With the best of both worlds, you can now balance structure and flexibility like a boss and be the envy of all your project management peers.

Introduction:

Agile methodologies have revolutionized the software development industry. Over the years, companies have adapted and modified these methodologies to suit their specific needs. One such hybrid methodology is Scrumban, which combines the best practices of both Scrum and Kanban. Scrumban has been gaining popularity in recent years and is being adopted by many organizations as it provides the flexibility of Kanban and the structure of Scrum.

The workflow for Scrumban typically follows the Agile framework, with the addition of Kanban principles. This allows for flexibility in managing tasks and adapting to changes as they arise.

Historical background:

Scrum was first introduced in the 1990s, and its popularity soared due to its flexible and iterative approach to project management. Kanban, on the other hand, was first developed by Toyota in the 1950s to optimize production processes. Kanban was later adopted by software development teams to improve their workflow. Scrumban was first introduced by Corey Ladas in 2008, as a way to combine the principles of Scrum and Kanban.

Why do we need Scrumban?

One of the key benefits of Scrumban is that it allows teams to be more flexible in their approach to work. For example, if a team is using Scrum and they are finding that they are struggling to keep up with the workload due to an increase in demand or changes in requirements, they may decide to adopt Kanban's continuous delivery approach. This would allow the team to focus on delivering smaller pieces of work more frequently, allowing them to respond more quickly to changes and feedback.

On the other hand, if a team is using Kanban and they find that they need more structure in their approach to work, they may decide to adopt Scrum's ceremonies and roles. This would provide them with a more defined process for planning and executing work, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and that work is being completed efficiently.

Another benefit of Scrumban is that it allows teams to optimize their workflow. This can be done by using Kanban's visual boards and flow metrics to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement, while also incorporating Scrum's retrospectives to reflect on what is working well and what can be improved. By continually analyzing and adapting their process, teams can improve their overall efficiency and effectiveness.

"Scrumban is the ultimate agile method for teams that value flexibility and continuous improvement." - Michael Dubakov, founder of Targetprocess and author of "Scrumban: The Evolution of Scrum and Kanban"

Overall, Scrumban provides teams with the flexibility to adapt to changing requirements and the structure to optimize their workflow. It is a powerful approach that can help teams to be more effective and efficient in their work, while also improving the quality of their output.

Scrumban Values and Skills

To effectively implement and benefit from Scrumban, teams should have a strong foundation in agile values, principles, and practices, as well as some specific skills. Here are some examples:

1. Values: Teams should understand and prioritize values such as transparency, collaboration, continuous improvement, and customer focus. These values align with the principles of Agile and help guide decision-making and problem-solving.
2. Communication and collaboration skills: Teams should be skilled in communication and collaboration, as these skills are essential for effective teamwork and achieving the shared goals of the project.
3. Problem-solving skills: Teams should have strong problem-solving skills to identify and address issues and obstacles that arise during the project. This includes the ability to analyze data, make decisions, and implement solutions.
4. Process optimization skills: Teams should have the ability to analyze and optimize their workflows. This involves identifying bottlenecks, waste, and inefficiencies and implementing improvements to streamline the process and increase efficiency.
5. Adaptability: Scrumban requires teams to be adaptable and willing to adjust to changing requirements and circumstances. This requires a mindset of continuous improvement and a willingness to experiment and try new approaches.

"The most successful businesses are those that can quickly adapt to changing circumstances." - Charles Darwin

Overall, Scrumban requires a team that is skilled in Agile principles and practices, as well as the ability to work collaboratively, communicate effectively, and continuously improve the project's workflow.

Main Artifacts:

1. Backlog: This is a prioritized list of features, user stories, and tasks that need to be completed to achieve the project's goals.
2. Board: A visual representation of the workflow, typically divided into columns such as "To-Do," "In Progress," and "Done."
3. Work-In-Progress (WIP) Limits: These are limits placed on the number of tasks or items that can be in progress at any given time. This helps to prevent overloading team members and promotes a more focused approach to work.
4. Cumulative Flow Diagram (CFD): This is a tool used to measure progress by tracking the number of tasks completed over time.

Workflow:

1. Backlog Refinement: In this stage, the product backlog is reviewed and updated with new items as needed. The team estimates the effort required for each item and prioritizes them based on their value and urgency. This helps ensure that the team is working on the most important items first.
2. Sprint Planning: A meeting where the team selects the tasks to be completed in the upcoming sprint. The team plans the work that will be done during the upcoming sprint. They review the backlog items and select the ones that will be completed during the sprint. The team breaks down the items into smaller tasks and estimates the effort required for each one. This helps the team to understand the work that needs to be done and ensures that everyone is on the same page. Sprints are between 1-4 weeks (2 week-sprint are the best)
3. Daily Stand-Up: A daily meeting where team members share updates on their progress, discuss any issues or blockers, and plan their work for the day. Each team member provides an update on what they worked on the previous day, what they plan to work on today, and if there are any impediments that are blocking their progress. This helps the team stay aligned and ensures that everyone is working towards the same goals.
4. Sprint Review: A meeting where the team demonstrates the completed work to stakeholders and receives feedback. The Sprint Review is a key Scrum event that occurs at the end of each sprint. During the Sprint Review, the Scrum team demonstrates the work that was completed during the sprint to the stakeholders and receives feedback. The stakeholders can be anyone with an interest in the product, such as customers, users, or management.The Sprint Review provides an opportunity for the team to receive feedback on the product and to adapt to changing requirements. It is also an opportunity for the team to showcase their work and to celebrate their accomplishments. Some best practices for the Sprint Review include:

• Preparing a demo: The team should prepare a live demo or a video that shows the functionality that was completed during the sprint.
• Encouraging feedback: The team should encourage feedback from the stakeholders and ask open-ended questions to gather feedback.

"Feedback is the breakfast of champions. Don't wait for things to go wrong or right. Provide feedback regardless of the outcome." - Anonymous

• Collaborating with stakeholders: The team should work closely with the stakeholders to understand their needs and to incorporate their feedback into the product backlog.

5. Sprint Retrospective: A meeting where the team reflects on the sprint and identifies areas for improvement. The Sprint Retrospective is another key Scrum event that occurs at the end of each sprint. During the Sprint Retrospective, the Scrum team reflects on the previous sprint and identifies ways to improve their processes and practices.

The Sprint Retrospective is a continuous improvement activity that allows the team to identify what went well and what can be improved. It is an opportunity for the team to learn from their experiences and to make adjustments to their processes and practices.

Some best practices for the Sprint Retrospective include:

• Creating a safe environment: The team should create a safe and open environment for everyone to share their ideas and feedback without fear of blame or judgment.
• Focusing on improvement: The team should focus on identifying ways to improve their processes and practices, rather than focusing on individual performance or blame.
• Following through: The team should follow through on their action items and make the necessary changes to improve their processes and practices.

The Sprint Retrospective 4Ls Method is an approach for conducting retrospectives in a Scrumban team. The 4Ls stand for:

1. Liked: What did we like about the sprint? This question helps the team to reflect on the positive aspects of the sprint and identify what went well.
2. Learned: What did we learn during the sprint? This question encourages the team to share their insights and knowledge gained during the sprint, including successes and failures.
3. Lacked: What did we lack during the sprint? This question identifies the areas where the team faced challenges or obstacles during the sprint and can help to uncover opportunities for improvement.
4. Longed For: What do we long for in the next sprint? This question encourages the team to think about their goals and aspirations for the next sprint and can help to identify areas for growth and development.

By using the 4Ls method, the team can have a more structured and comprehensive approach to conducting retrospectives and identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.

Scrumban can be an effective methodology for teams that are looking for a balance between the structured approach of Scrum and the more flexible approach of Kanban. By combining these two methodologies, teams can benefit from the iterative planning and regular review of Scrum, while also having the ability to adapt to changes and limit work in progress with the use of Kanban principles.

In conclusion, Scrumban is a powerful methodology that combines the best practices of Scrum and Kanban. It provides the structure and roles of Scrum, along with the flexibility and continuous delivery of Kanban. Scrumban can help organizations optimize their workflow, improve their team's productivity, and deliver quality products.