Kanban vs Scrum: What's the Difference?

Imagine two teams on the same race track. While both aim to reach the finish line, they take different paths to get there. One flows smoothly with tasks like water through a pipe, while the other sprints in planned bursts, pausing to regroup before the next run. The former is the Kanban approach, and the latter is the Scrum approach. This blog explores Kanban vs Scrum, uncovers what sets them apart, and will help you choose the right fit for your workflow, team style and project needs. So read on and find your perfect project match!

Table of Contents

1) What is Kanban?

2) What is Scrum? 

3) Kanban Vs Scrum: Similarities and Differences

4) Scrumban: Synergy Between Kanban and Scrum 

5) Conclusion

What is Kanban?

Kanban is a lean Project Management tool for increasing efficiency through Visual Management. Originating in the Japanese manufacturing circles at Toyota, it's now widely applied across industries for managing work at each stage of production. At its core, Kanban helps teams visualise the workflow, limit work-in-progress and maximise efficiency. 

The process involves using a Kanban Board, which is segmented into columns such as "In Progress," "To Do," and "Completed." This method encourages better team collaboration and continuous process improvement, making it a powerful strategy for teams who want a flexible and transparent approach to Project Management.

When to Use Kanban?

Kanban helps teams see their work, improve, and get more done. It works well with existing processes, including Scrum. Kanban is a great place to begin if you don’t want to change how you work completely but still want some Agile benefits.

What is Scrum?

Scrum is a structured framework for handling complex projects in Software Development and other fields. It breaks down projects into smaller, manageable chunks called sprints which typically last two to four weeks. Every sprint begins with a plan meeting where team members commit to delivering particular pieces of work.

The process is managed by key roles: The Scrum Master, Product Owner and Development Team. This framework emphasises teamwork, accountability and iterative progress toward a well-defined goal. This makes it highly effective for projects where requirements are rapidly changing.

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Kanban Vs Scrum: Similarities and Differences

When it comes to Project Management, Scrum and Kanban lead the pack, especially in the field of Agile Development. Both are popular for their efficiency in project handling but they cater to different types of workflows and team dynamics. Here are the main similarities between Kanban and Scrum:

1) Kanban and Scrum follow Agile principles to focus on flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

2) Both use visual tools like boards to track tasks and progress.

3) They aim to reduce waste, improve workflow, and deliver results faster.

4) Both rely on teamwork, regular check-ins and clear communication to complete the work.

5) They support regular reflection (like Scrum retrospectives or Kanban reviews) to improve how the team works over time.

6) Both encourage limiting how much work is done at once to keep things manageable and focused.

Now let’s explore the differences between the two:

Kanban vs Agile

Agile is a Project Management method that emphasises flexibility and small steps. It’s more of a mindset than a set of tools. Agile works best for projects that often change and need quick adjustments. Kanban is one method that follows Agile ideas. It gives teams clear tools and steps to use Agile in their work. Like Agile, Kanban helps teams stay flexible and keeps everyone informed about what’s going on.

Kanban vs Waterfall

Waterfall is a traditional way to manage projects where tasks are done one after another, in a fixed order, like water flowing down steps. It’s not built to handle changes during the project, so it works best when everything is planned out from the start. This is helpful for projects with tight budgets, deadlines, or steps that must be done in order. While Kanban is more flexible, you can still use a simple Kanban board in a Waterfall project to see and track tasks more clearly.

Scrumban: Synergy Between Kanban and Scrum

While Scrum and Kanban play different roles in Project Management, many organisations harness their full potntial by combining elements of both. This hybrid approach, referred to as Scrumban, utilises the strengths of each method to improve team productivity and Project Management. Let’s explore its features:

1) Blending Flexibility and Structure: Scrumban employs Kanban's flexible approach within the structured framework of Scrum. This helps teams plan sprints as in Scrum, but with the ability to adapt and update their task boards as the work progresses, akin to Kanban. 

2) Meeting and Planning Adaptations: Scrumban involves regular sprint plan meetings of Scrum but it integrates Kanban's continuous workflow. This means while there may be a set plan for a sprint, the team can adjust their workload based around immediate needs and blockages, much like in Kanban.

3) Roles and Responsibilities: In Scrumban, the established roles of Scrum (Scrum Master, Product Owner and Development Team) are maintained to keep clarity of responsibilities while Kanban’s flexibility in role definitions is also adopted. 

4) Metrics for Continuous Improvement: By integrating Kanban's metrics like throughput and cycle time into Scrum's sprint goals and Scrum Velocity, Scrumban offers a comprehensive view of individual workflow efficiencies and project progress.

5) Enhanced Customer Engagement: The synergy of Scrum and Kanban also improves the way teams interact with customers. Just like in Scrum, regular reviews help make sure the project stays on track with what the customer wants. But with Kanban’s continuous delivery, teams can quickly make changes or add feedback without waiting for the next sprint to begin. 

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Conclusion

Kanban and Scrum offer powerful yet distinct paths to Agile success. While Kanban flows constantly, Scrum thrives on structure and sprint cycles. Understanding Kanban Vs Scrum will help your team pick the method that best fits their goals, pace and project style, leading to smoother workflows and more effective results.

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