Choosing the Right Agile Approach: A Guide to Scrum and Kanban
Have you ever been asked about the differences between Scrum and Kanban in Agile product management? With increasing popularity and widespread use of these approaches, it’s not surprising. However, it’s strange that I haven’t taken the time to pen down my thoughts on this topic. Perhaps it’s time to shed light on the key differences between Scrum and Kanban and help clear up any confusion.
Scrum is a time-boxed and prescriptive approach to Agile project management, while Kanban is a visual and flexible approach that emphasizes continuous improvement and flow. Scrum has defined roles and sprints, while Kanban is a method to improve workflow and visualization without time-boxing.
Kanban
Kanban is a visual method for managing and optimizing the flow of work. It was originally developed for manufacturing and is now commonly used in software development and other fields. Kanban boards typically represent work items as cards on a board, and use columns to represent different stages of a process. The goal of kanban is to limit work in progress and allow teams to focus on delivering value and continuously improving their processes.
Scrum
Scrum is a framework for Agile project management and software development. It emphasizes collaboration, flexibility, and the delivery of working software through short, iterative cycles known as “sprints”. Scrum is based on several key roles, such as the Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Development Team, and defined ceremonies, such as Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective. The goal of Scrum is to help teams deliver a high-quality product incrementally, with a focus on continuous improvement and adaptation to changing requirements.
What’s the difference?
Scrum and Kanban are both project and software management methodologies, but they have some key differences.
Scrum is a framework for managing and completing complex projects. It is a time-boxed approach that involves regularly scheduled meetings and defined roles. Each sprint (iteration) has a specific goal and a specific set of tasks that need to be completed.
Kanban, on the other hand, is a method for managing and improving workflow. It is not time-boxed and focuses on visualizing the work and limiting work in progress. Kanban is often used in manufacturing and software development to improve efficiency and productivity.
In Scrum, the main responsibilities of a person include:
- Being a member of the Scrum team, which includes the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Development Team.
- Participating in sprint planning, daily stand-up meetings, sprint review, and sprint retrospective.
- Helping to define and refine the product backlog.
- Tracking progress and identifying any obstacles or issues that may arise during the sprint.
- Communicating regularly with the Scrum Master and other team members to ensure the sprint goal is met.
In Kanban, the main responsibilities of a person include:
- Understanding and following the Kanban process.
- Helping to visualize the work and flow of tasks.
- Managing and limiting work in progress.
- Continuously monitoring and improving the workflow.
- Communicating regularly with team members to ensure tasks are moving smoothly through the pipeline.
In Conclusion:
In Scrum, the person is focused on completing the tasks within a specific time-boxed sprint, while in Kanban, the person is focused on improving the workflow and visualizing the work tasks.
Both Kanban and Scrum are agile methodologies, but they have different approaches, Kanban focuses on visualizing the work and limiting work in progress, while Scrum is a time-boxed approach with defined roles and sprints, both of them encourage collaboration and communication among team members.
Additional Reading
👋 Feel Free to Clap and Share your Thoughts!
Find more at our LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. Check our podcast. Follow our LinkedIn page and Newsletter!
Disclosure: At PM101, we strive to provide our readers with valuable and honest information on Product and Program Management. As a way to support the blog and continue providing valuable content, some blog posts may contain affiliate links or promotional content. By clicking on these links and making a purchase, the writer may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. This commission helps to keep the blog running and allows the writer to continue providing valuable content and increasing her coffee and kombucha consumption. Rest assured, we will always provide honest and informative content and use affiliate links and promotional content only as a means to generate revenue to support the blog.
