If you are involved in software development, you have probably heard the terms “Scrum” and “Kanban” being thrown around. Both are Agile methodologies that are widely used in software development, but they have their differences. In this article, we will explore the difference between Scrum and Kanban and help you decide which methodology is right for your team.

What is Scrum?

Scrum has several roles that make up its framework. The Scrum Master is responsible for ensuring that the team follows the Scrum framework and facilitates communication and collaboration. The Product Owner is responsible for the product backlog, which is a prioritized list of features and functionality that the team will work on. Finally, the Development Team is responsible for creating the product.

Scrum has several ceremonies that help the team stay on track and communicate effectively. These ceremonies include the Sprint Planning Meeting, the Daily Scrum, the Sprint Review, and the Sprint Retrospective. The Sprint Planning Meeting is where the team plans the work they will complete in the next sprint. The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute meeting where team members share their progress and discuss any obstacles they are facing. The Sprint Review is where the team showcases their work to stakeholders and gets feedback. The Sprint Retrospective is where the team reflects on the previous sprint and identifies areas for improvement.

What is Kanban?

Kanban uses a board that visualizes the work and its flow. The board has columns that represent the stages of the work, and each column has cards that represent the work items. The board is typically divided into three sections: To Do, Doing, and Done. The team pulls work from the To Do column and moves it to the Doing column when they are ready to work on it. Once the work is complete, it is moved to the Done column.

Kanban also has ceremonies, but they are different from Scrum. Kanban has a Daily Standup Meeting where the team discusses their progress and any issues they are facing. It also has a Weekly Review Meeting where the team reviews their work and identifies areas for improvement.

Differences between Scrum and Kanban

Now that we have a basic understanding of Scrum and Kanban, let’s look at some of the key differences between the two.

Roles

Scrum has specific roles like Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Development Team. These roles have specific responsibilities and work together to deliver the product. Kanban does not have specific roles, but it does have a team that works together to deliver value.

Work Management

Scrum uses a sprint-based approach to work management. The team plans the work they will complete in a sprint, and they work on it until the end of the sprint. Kanban uses a continuous flow approach to work management. The team pulls work from the To Do column and works on it until it is complete.

Work in Progress Limits

Kanban emphasizes limiting work in progress to improve flow and reduce waste. The team pulls work from the To Do column only when they have capacity to work on it. Scrum does not have specific work in progress limits, but the team plans their work for the sprint based on their capacity and the priority of the work.

Ceremonies

Scrum has specific ceremonies like Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective. These ceremonies help the team stay on track and communicate effectively. Kanban has fewer ceremonies, with only a Daily Standup Meeting and Weekly Review Meeting.

Focus on Delivery

Scrum focuses on delivering a working product at the end of each sprint. Kanban focuses on delivering value continuously by limiting work in progress and improving flow.

Flexibility

Scrum is more structured and prescriptive than Kanban. It has specific roles, ceremonies, and guidelines that teams must follow. Kanban is more flexible and allows teams to adapt their process to their specific needs.

Which Methodology is Right for Your Team?

Both Scrum and Kanban have their advantages and disadvantages, and the methodology that is right for your team depends on your specific needs and goals. Here are some factors to consider when choosing between Scrum and Kanban:

Project Complexity

If your project is complex and has many dependencies, Scrum may be the better option. Scrum’s structured approach and sprint-based work management can help teams manage complex projects more effectively.

Delivery Speed

If your team needs to deliver value quickly and continuously, Kanban may be the better option. Kanban’s focus on limiting work in progress and improving flow can help teams deliver value faster.

Team Structure

If your team is cross-functional and has specific roles like a Product Owner and Scrum Master, Scrum may be the better option. If your team is more fluid and does not have specific roles, Kanban may be the better option.

Customer Feedback

If your team needs to get feedback from customers frequently, Scrum may be the better option. Scrum’s Sprint Review ceremony provides an opportunity for the team to showcase their work to stakeholders and get feedback. Kanban does not have a specific ceremony for getting feedback from stakeholders.

Process Flexibility

If your team needs a flexible process that can adapt to their specific needs, Kanban may be the better option. Kanban allows teams to customize their process to their specific needs and goals.

FAQ

Which should I choose?

When deciding between Kanban and Scrum for managing a project, it’s important to consider the unique needs of the team and the project. Both Kanban and Scrum are agile processes that aim for continuous improvement, but they differ in their approach. Kanban focuses on visualizing the flow of work and limiting work in progress, while Scrum emphasizes iterations and sprints for delivering work in a fixed time frame. If the team values a steady flow and prioritizes efficiency, Kanban may be the better choice. However, if the team prefers a structured approach and values teamwork, Scrum may be a good fit. Ultimately, it’s up to the project manager to decide whether to use Scrum or Kanban, but it’s important to note that sticking to one approach dogmatically and believing that scrum is a false is a mistake. It’s possible to combine both Kanban and Scrum to create a custom methodology that best suits the team’s needs.

Kanban vs. scrum: What if you can’t choose?

Kanban and Scrum are two popular frameworks within the agile methodology that help teams to manage their work effectively. While they have differences in their approaches, they both promote continuous improvement and collaboration among team members. However, sometimes it can be difficult for organizations to choose between Kanban and Scrum as they each have unique advantages depending on the specific project requirements. In these cases, a hybrid approach of Scrum and Kanban can be utilized. This allows teams to benefit from both frameworks by incorporating the flexibility of Kanban with the structure of Scrum. Ultimately, the choice between Kanban and Scrum depends on the needs of the team and the nature of the project, but a combination of both can help teams to achieve their goals.

In a nutshell, what is Kanban?

Kanban is a methodology used for managing and improving workflow processes. It originated in Japanese manufacturing industries and has since been applied in various industries worldwide. Unlike the Scrum methodology, which focuses on time-boxed sprints, kanban emphasizes continuous delivery and improvement. Kanban encourages visualizing the flow of work and limiting work-in-progress to avoid overburdening team members and creating bottlenecks. A kanban board is used to visually represent the workflow, track progress, and identify any roadblocks or areas of improvement. It can be used in conjunction with a scrum board, which focuses on managing time-boxed sprints within a larger kanban framework. Overall, kanban helps teams to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and continuously deliver value to their customers.

How are Scrum and Kanban the same?

Scrum and Kanban are both agile methodologies that aim to improve team productivity and deliver customer value. Both focus on limiting work in progress (WIP) to enable teams to focus on the most important tasks and complete them efficiently. Additionally, both rely heavily on team members collaborating and communicating effectively to ensure that project requirements are fully understood and that everyone works towards achieving the shared goals. While there are some differences between the two methodologies, such as Scrum’s emphasis on sprints and Kanban’s focus on workflow visualization, both can be equally effective in improving team performance and delivering high-quality outcomes. Ultimately, whether a team chooses to adopt scrum and Kanban or a combination of the two should depend on their specific needs, working style, and project complexity.

How are Scrum and Kanban different?

Scrum and Kanban are two distinct Agile methodologies that aim to improve the delivery of software projects. While Scrum is a framework that emphasizes teamwork, communication, and iterative development, Kanban is a pull-based system that focuses on visualizing and managing work items. One of the main differences between scrum and kanban is their approach to planning. In Scrum, projects are divided into sprints, with each sprint requiring a defined set of tasks. Meanwhile, with Kanban, work items are added to the board and moved across the workflow as they are completed. Another difference is how Scrum enforces roles, such as product owner and scrum master, while Kanban does not. Both methods have their own unique strengths, and companies choose which method to use depending on their specific needs and goals.

Who Wins between Scrum and Kanban?

When it comes to project management methodologies, Kanban and Scrum are two of the most popular. Each approach has its own unique strengths that appeal to different teams and projects. One of the main differences between Kanban and Scrum is that Kanban places a stronger emphasis on visualizing the workflow, while Scrum focuses more on sprints and scrum tools. Kanban software helps teams to continuously improve their processes by limiting “work in progress” (WIP) and reducing bottlenecks. Meanwhile, Scrum relies on iterative sprints and continuous improvement cycles to drive progress. Ultimately, there is no clear winner between Kanban or Scrum – the best approach depends entirely on the unique needs of your team and project.

When do we start using Scrum over Kanban?

Kanban and Scrum are both popular methodologies used for managing projects in the software industry. Typically, Scrum is used for complex and iterative projects, while Kanban is used for tasks that have a more straightforward workflow. One example of when to use Kanban over Scrum is when the team is dealing with a project that has no clear end date or where the priorities change frequently. In such cases, the adaptability of Kanban makes it a better fit. On the other hand, if the project has a specific timeline and involves cross-functional teams, then Scrum is a better option. While both Kanban and Scrum share some similarities, such as the focus on continuous improvement and collaboration, they differ in many aspects, such as the use of sprints in Scrum compared to continuous flow in Kanban. Ultimately, the decision to use Kanban or Scrum will depend on the project’s nature, complexity, and goals.

What is the waterfall methodology?

The waterfall methodology is a traditional approach to project management. It follows a linear or sequence-based workflow, where each phase must be completed before moving on to the next. The methodology is often used in software development projects, where tasks are clearly defined and the end product is well understood. Each phase of the waterfall methodology focuses on a specific objective and its success is dependent on the previous phase. It is different from agile methodology, which is more flexible and allows for changes throughout the project’s life cycle. While the waterfall methodology can be effective in certain projects, it can also be rigid and difficult to adapt to change or unforeseen circumstances.

What are the Scrum pillars?

• The Scrum framework is a popular Agile approach that can be applied in project management, software development, and other iterative work processes.
• The Scrum methodology is centered around four pillars that support the entire framework.
• The first pillar is transparency, which ensures that all members of the Scrum team understand what they need to accomplish and how the process will work.
• The second pillar is inspection, which allows for constant review to ensure the best possible outcome.
• The third pillar is adaptation, where the team can adjust for unexpected changes and improve the next sprint.
• The fourth and final pillar is empiricism, which values transparency, inspection, and adaptation as crucial aspects of the Scrum framework.
• The Scrum team consists of a product owner, a scrum master, and a development team.
• The product backlog is a prioritized list of features that will be addressed in the next sprint.
• Overall, the Scrum pillars offer a flexible and effective approach to project management that can be adapted to a variety of contexts.

What is a Scrum team?

A Scrum team is a self-organizing, cross-functional team that follows the agile methodology of software development. The scrum team consists of three roles, including the scrum master, product owner, and development team. The scrum master is responsible for facilitating the scrum process, ensuring that the team follows the principles of scrum, and removing any obstacles that may hinder the team’s progress.

The product owner is responsible for defining and prioritizing the product backlog, which includes all the features, enhancements, and bug fixes required for the product. The development team consists of professionals who are committed to delivering a potentially releasable product increment at the end of each sprint. A sprint is a time-boxed iteration of the development cycle, typically lasting 2-4 weeks. The product backlog items are reviewed and prioritized at the start of each sprint, and the development team works on selected items during the sprint. At the end of the sprint, the team presents the completed work to the product owner for review and feedback. 

How to implement Kanban?

Kanban is a visual workflow management system that aims to improve the flow of work and maximize efficiency. To implement Kanban, start by defining your work item or tasks, and then visualizing the workflow on a Kanban board. The Kanban board can be physical, such as a whiteboard, or digital, such as an online tool. Next, establish the work in progress (WIP) limits, which help to keep the flow of work manageable and prevent overload. Kanban encourages an agile approach to work, with a focus on continuous improvement and optimizing the flow of work. Regular sprint reviews can help to identify areas for improvement and ensure the team remains aligned with the overall goals. By implementing Kanban, teams can visualize their workflows, manage their work in progress, and optimize the flow of work to improve efficiency and productivity.

Why do teams adopt Kanban methodology?

Teams adopt Kanban because it is a valuable method for improving workflow, especially in software development projects. Kanban enables teams to visualize their work items and identify bottlenecks in their workflow, which helps to reduce lead times and increase productivity. Unlike scrum, which operates on predefined sprints and requires a project manager to direct the team’s activities, Kanban allows for a more flexible approach to project management. Teams using Kanban benefit from clear visibility of their work items on a Kanban board, which facilitates easy tracking of progress and identifying any obstacles. Ultimately, adopting the Kanban method enables teams to focus on continuous improvement to their workflow, which results in greater efficiency and better results for customers in the long term.