Kanban vs Scrum: A Guide to Choosing the Right Agile Methodology

In the world of project management, Kanban and Scrum are two methodologies often brought up in the same breath. As both stem from the Agile philosophy, it's no surprise that they share some similarities. But there are differences between Scrum and Kanban that can be pivotal in deciding which to implement in your project environment.

A More Detailed Look at Kanban

Originating from the Japanese automotive industry, Kanban made its way into software development and project management as a means to optimize workflow, reduce waste, and improve efficiency.

Kanban operates under a visual system, typically embodied in a Kanban board, to manage work as it moves through a process. The board is divided into different stages, representing the progression of tasks from inception to completion. Tasks are symbolized by cards and move along the board from one stage to another, visually representing the workflow.

A critical aspect of Kanban is its focus on limiting work-in-progress (WIP). Each stage of the workflow has a limit on the number of tasks that can be within it at a time. By capping the amount of work in progress, Kanban encourages teams to focus on finishing tasks rather than starting new ones, thus ensuring a smoother flow of work and reducing the time it takes for a task to move from start to finish.

Unlike Scrum, Kanban doesn't prescribe specific roles. Instead, all members of a Kanban team share the responsibility for monitoring and managing the flow of work. This aspect encourages a high degree of collaboration and flexibility within the team, as there is a shared sense of ownership and accountability.

Understanding Scrum

Unlike Kanban, Scrum is built on the premise of iterations, known as sprints. This begs the question: does Kanban have sprints? The short answer is no, it doesn’t. Kanban promotes a continuous flow of work, while Scrum follows a sprint-based structure. Sprints in Scrum are time-boxed iterations that usually last for a set period, commonly two weeks.

The Scrum Kanban board and the Kanban board function similarly but are tailored to their respective methodologies. The scrum board resets after each sprint, while the Kanban board is a continuous flow. Thus, comparing a Kanban board vs sprint board, or the other way round, is essentially a matter of preference based on the specific project needs.

Key Differences Between Scrum and Kanban

While understanding the Agile methodology, Scrum vs Kanban becomes an essential conversation. It helps to understand the difference between Scrum and Kanban, and the difference between a task board and Kanban.

Scrum relies on fixed roles and routines, with the Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Development Team all playing defined roles. Conversely, Kanban roles are less rigid and more adaptable to changes. This can sometimes lead to confusion regarding the Kanban roles and responsibilities, but the flexibility is also one of its strengths.

Scrum and Kanban also differ in how they approach progress. As mentioned, Scrum uses sprints to organise work and track progress. Therefore, you can see a Kanban vs sprint scenario in Scrum and Kanban, respectively. Kanban does not use sprints; instead, it visualises the workflow on a Kanban board, marking progress as tasks move across the board.

Scrum vs Kanban: Which One to Use?

When to use Kanban vs Scrum depends on your team, the project, and the work environment. Kanban is ideal when work arrives unpredictably, or the priority shifts quickly. It provides flexibility and allows for quick response to changes. Thus, when considering Kanban or Scrum, remember that Kanban is perfect for dynamic environments.

On the other hand, Scrum is better suited for projects where the requirements are unlikely to change drastically. The predictability of work makes Scrum's time-boxed sprints ideal.

In the debate between a Scrum board or Kanban board, the decision largely depends on your requirements and the nature of the tasks at hand. A Scrum board is usually divided into "To Do", "Doing", and "Done" columns, but customizable stages do exist such as "Test" and "Staging" and it gets reset at the end of each sprint (if every task is done). Conversely, a Kanban board includes more process stages by default(e.g., "Backlog", "Ready", "Coding", "Testing", "Done") and doesn't reset.

When comparing the Kanban board vs Scrum board, it's important to note that Kanban boards provide a higher degree of visualisation with a continious flow, whereas a Scrum board provides a a visualisation of the current sprint.

Do You Have to Choose Between Scrum and Kanban?

While it's helpful to compare Kanban vs Scrum, it's not always necessary to choose one over the other. Some teams find a blended approach, often called Scrumban, works best. In this model, the Scrum framework is used as a starting point, but Kanban practices are introduced to help visualise work, limit work-in-progress, and improve flow. The Kanban Scrum Master can thus play a vital role in managing such a hybrid process.

Scrumban leverages the structure of Scrum with the flexibility and visualisation of Kanban, allowing teams to adapt and change their working methods according to the project's evolution. This amalgamation often answers the question, 'When to use Kanban vs Scrum?' as it takes the best of both worlds, creating a dynamic, flexible, yet controlled environment.

Sprints vs Kanban: Final Thoughts

In the sprints vs Kanban or Kanban vs sprints discussion, it's clear that both methodologies have their strengths and can be extremely effective when applied in the right context. If your team values adaptability and needs to respond to changing priorities quickly, then the continuous flow of Kanban may be the ideal choice. If, however, your team benefits from a structured approach and clearly defined roles with regular reviews and retrospectives, then Scrum with its sprint cycles would be more suitable.

While it can be challenging to decide between a sprint vs Kanban or whether to implement a Scrum board or Kanban board, the goal is to select the approach that will offer the most value and drive productivity for your team. Understanding the differences between Scrum and Kanban, along with your team's unique needs and capabilities, will help guide your decision.

Remember, Agile methodologies like Scrum and Kanban are designed to be flexible and iterative, so don't be afraid to experiment, inspect, and adapt to find the perfect fit for your project.