Kanban and Scrum are both popular workflow frameworks within Agile and Lean thinking that help to break complex projects down into manageable tasks and goals. There are often debates about which is better, and many people stand firmly on the side of one methodology over the other. Why not consider the merits of both though? While Kanban and Scrum are different in many ways, they can complement each other well. In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of each methodology and consider situations when one may rise above the other. We will also consider when it may be ideal to combine concepts from both to create a system often referred to as Scrumban.
Kanban vs. Scrum: What’s the Difference?
Kanban and Scrum are project management workflows that emphasize continuous improvement (Kaizen). They both prioritize small incremental successes, but they differ in the way that those improvements are approached and achieved. In general, Kanban is a visual workflow tool that has more flexibility and is based on just-in-time thinking while Scrum is a more structured management system that has clearly defined roles and timeframes for completing specific tasks.
What is Kanban?
Kanban means “signboard” in Japanese, and it is a visual workflow management system that is used to track specific tasks throughout a process. It is based heavily on the concept of a Kanban board where each phase of the process is designated as a column and tasks are written on cards that move from one phase to the next until they are completed.
Toyota was the first company to use Kanban, and they based it on the way that stores restock shelves; whenever a shelf is empty, it signals that an employee needs to stock more product, or in Kanban, whenever a column on a Kanban board is empty, it signals that the team should add or progress a new task.
The Kanban method typically does not define a specific timeframe for completing tasks or goals but rather operates as a more continuous process where tasks are completed “just-in-time” to meet customer demand or company goals.
It also emphasizes minimizing work-in-progress (WIP) by limiting how many tasks can be in each phase of a process at a given time. This ensures that the team is not overburdened and can help identify bottlenecks in the process.
Kanban Key Terms
✔️ Kanban board: A visual management tool where each phase of a process is a column on the board and tasks are written on cards that move from one phase to the next as work is completed.
✔️ WIP limit: A work-in-progress (WIP) limit is the maximum number of tasks that can exist in a given column on a Kanban board. This ensures the team stays focused on a few high priority items at a time.
✔️ Cumulative Flow Diagram: A graphical representation of the tasks in each stage of the process at any given time within the process timeline. This helps the team identify bottlenecks which can decrease task cycle time.
✔️ Cycle Time: The total time it takes for the team to complete a task from beginning to end.
✔️ Work Item Age: The length of time that a given task has been in progress.
👍 Pros of Kanban
- Kanban is flexible and allows for the team to adjust task priority as needed.
- It is a visual tool that enables the team to constantly have a quick snapshot of where each task stands.
- It emphasizes the minimization of WIP which helps ensure that team members aren’t taking on more than they can handle.
👎 Cons of Kanban
- Kanban does not define clear roles and responsibilities for a team. Therefore, it can lead to lower productivity if the team does not have accountability for completing tasks in a timely manner.
- It is a continuous workflow which means that teams must be sure to constantly reevaluate the priority of tasks to ensure they are working on the most critical items.
What is Scrum?
Scrum is a structured project management system based on the principles of transparency, reflection, and adaptation. During Scrum, the team works in “sprints” that are generally less than a month in length. Throughout the sprint, the team focuses on accomplishing one small piece of work at a time which allows them to have an iterative, focused approach to work. The team is encouraged to not change direction during the sprint, but instead to save other high priority work for subsequent sprints.
Scrum was first introduced by professors Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka in 1986 in their article “The New New Product Development Game”. The name Scrum is borrowed from rugby due to the framework’s focus on teamwork.
The structure of Scrum is what differentiates it from other management frameworks. For example, a Scrum team consists of very specific roles: a Scrum Master, a Product Owner, and the Development Team. There are also specific milestones and deliverables throughout Scrum such as planning, reviews, and retrospectives.
Scrum Key Terms
✔️ Sprint: Sprints are the heartbeat of Scrum. They are fixed amounts of time (typically one month or less) where the team works towards accomplishing a particular goal.
✔️ Sprint velocity: The amount of work a team can accomplish during a single sprint.
✔️ Burndown chart: A graphical representation of remaining tasks over time.
✔️ Scrum master: Scrum masters are the champion of the Scrum process. The coach the product owner and development team, schedule and facilitate team meetings, and escalate challenges to key stakeholders as needed.
✔️ Product owner: Product owners focus on ensuring the team is providing the most value possible for the business. They help select the highest priority item to tackle in the next sprint, and help realign the team to the business goals as needed.
✔️ Development team: The development team is everyone who does the actual work to accomplish the sprint goal. They are a cross-functional team that straddles all areas relevant to the sprint goal. Typically, the development team is anywhere from 3 to 8 people depending on the complexity of the goal.
✔️ Planning, review, retrospective: Planning, review, and retrospective are three key milestones during a sprint. The planning meeting is at the beginning of a sprint where the team chooses the sprint goal. The review is at the end of the sprint where the team reviews the outcome with key stakeholders. The retrospective is the final step of the sprint where the team discusses lessons learned and areas for improvement.
👍 Pros of Scrum
- Scrum is a structured workflow approach that defines a clear goal and team roles for a given sprint. This helps keep the team focused and emphasizes teamwork.
- Work is completed in short bursts (sprints) towards a specific goal which improves team productivity as a whole by promoting focus rather than wasting time changing over from task to task.
👎 Cons of Scrum
- Scrum does not allow for the flexibility to change goals if priorities change. Of course, if there is an emergency, the current sprint may be abandoned to refocus on the new critical item, but this eliminates the benefits of Scrum.
Kanban vs. Scrum: What are the Differences?
| CATEGORY | KANBAN | SCRUM |
|---|---|---|
| Cadence | Continuous process. | Structured as sprints that are typically less than a month in length. |
| Roles and Responsibilities | No specific role requirements. | Specific defined roles include a Scrum master, a product owner, and a development team. |
| Prioritization Method | Uses a “pull” system that only allows team members to pull in new tasks from the backlog once the team has completed other items or transferred lower priority items back to the backlog. | Also uses a “pull” system although the team is pulling in an entire focus group of tasks to make up the sprint goal. The team does not revisit other outstanding tasks until the completion of the sprint. |
| Flexibility | Flexible approach that allows the team to reprioritize goals at any time. | Structured approach that does not allow for flexibility. The team should not pivot from the sprint goal unless a critical emergency arises. |
| KPIs | The main KPIs are cycle time and work item age. Teams use cumulative flow diagrams to visualize the tasks in each phase of the process and identify bottlenecks. | The main KPI is sprint velocity. Teams use burndown charts to visualize task completion. |
| Planning | Just-in-time planning rather than planning for a longer timeframe. The team prioritizes tasks and plans current work on an ongoing basis. | Planning occurs at the beginning of each sprint. This is where the team selects a sprint goal. |
| Workload | Kanban boards have a WIP limit which defines the maximum number of tasks that can exist in a given column. | Scrum teams should use past sprint velocity knowledge to define a reasonable number of tasks to accomplish during a given sprint. |
Kanban vs. Scrum: Which is Better?
So which methodology is better? The answer is: it depends.
In some cases, the flexibility and visual structure of Kanban is ideal while in others, the structure of Scrum is most beneficial. Let’s dig a bit deeper into which tool you should consider using depending on your situation.
🕒 When to Use Kanban
Kanban is most beneficial in the following scenarios:
- You have many incoming tasks with changing priorities and need the flexibility to adjust what tasks you are tackling if priorities shift.
- You have a more mature team that is capable of remaining consistent and on task without structured team roles and responsibilities.
🕒 When to Use Scrum
Scrum is most beneficial in the following scenarios:
- You have a clearly defined goal or fixed deliverables that must be accomplished quickly and the priority of the goal is not expected to shift over time.
- You need a structured project management approach with defined roles to ensure all team members are staying on task.
What is Scrumban?
Although many people tout the benefits of Kanban over Scrum or vice versa, the reality is that using both methods in tandem can often be most beneficial.
So what does this look like?
Scrumban is a project management framework that combines the important features of both Kanban and Scrum. By doing so, it provides the visualization benefits of Kanban with the structured approach of Scrum. Essentially this means that teams can use a Kanban-style task board while using the structured roles and timelines defined in Scrum to accomplish high priority goals.
The important thing is to do what works for your team to accomplish the business needs and needs of your customers.
Conclusion
Overall, both Kanban and Scrum offer valuable frameworks for Agile project management, but each has its own advantages and challenges. Choosing the right methodology hinges on your team’s unique circumstances, including project requirements, team maturity, and the nature of the tasks at hand. Kanban shines in environments that demand flexibility and ongoing prioritization which makes it ideal for teams facing fluctuating workloads. Conversely, Scrum provides the structure and accountability necessary for teams focused on specific deliverables within set timeframes.
For many organizations, the blend of both methodologies in the form of Scrumban can yield optimal results by allowing teams to harness the visual management strengths of Kanban alongside the disciplined approach of Scrum. Ultimately, the key lies in understanding your team’s needs and being open to adapting these frameworks to create a customized system that drives efficiency, collaboration, and success. Embrace the philosophy of continuous improvement to find the balance that propels your projects forward and meets both business objectives and customer expectations effectively. Do you have a preference for Kanban, Scrum, or Scrumban? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
