Kanban and Scrum are project management methodologies that perform project tasks in small steps and focus on continuous improvement.
But the processes they use to achieve these goals are different. While Kanban focuses on visualizing tasks and continuous flow, Scrum is more for applying graphics for each delivery cycle and applying for certain roles. Reference: “Scrum and Kanban: Similarities and Differences in Agile Development“, https://customer-service-us.com/scrum-and-kanban-similarities-and-differences-in-agile/
Both Kanban and Scrum borrow approaches from Agile, although Scrum is often more strongly associated with Agile. This means that Kanban and Scrum are both adaptive, and transparent and reduce ineffectiveness in the project process. Reference: “Kanban or Scrum for project development“, https://www.yahowto.com/kanban-or-scrum-for-project-development/
What is Agile?
Agile is an iterative approach to project management and software development that helps teams provide value to their customers faster and with fewer headaches.
Instead of relying on everything at once, an Agile team delivers work in small but structural steps. The requirements, plans, and results are constantly evaluated so that the teams have a natural mechanism to respond quickly to changes. Kanban and Scrum are part of the Agile methodology. Read more: “Kanban, Scrum, and Lean in Agile projects“, https://ossalumni.org/kanban-scrum-and-lean-in-agile-projects/
The choice between Kanban and Scrum is not always necessary. Both methodologies can be used together to maximize the benefits that are obtained from each.
Here is an explanation of what each method is, how they are compared, and when it is used:
What is Kanban?
Kanban is a visual method of project management used to track tasks and reduce the ineffectiveness of the project. The heart of the Kanban method is the board (dashboard) Kanban – physical or digital – in which the phases of the project are divided into columns. The tasks are recorded on cards that pass from one column to another until the task is completed. More on the topic: “Scrum and Kanban: similarities and differences“, https://www.policymatters.net/scrum-and-kanban-similarities-and-differences/
Kanban is associated with several advantages. Kanban increases the transparency of the project, visually clarifying what tasks should be completed and where the tasks accumulate. This visual help facilitates the delegation of resources where they need to go, reducing ineffectiveness. Kanban’s main advantages include increased flow visibility, the improved delivery rate of items or a whole project, and correspondence between business goals, key results, and product issuance work. Keep reading: “Kanban or Scrum as a project management methodology“, https://www.islandjournal.net/kanban-or-scrum-as-a-project-management-methodology/
Another key concept in Kanban is “Kaisen”: meaning “change for the better” in Japanese, Kaisen encourages thinking to constantly improve the process. This encourages all team members to share their insights and work to improve the team, not just managers. Reference: “Scrum and Kanban: Differences and Similarities“, https://www.powerhp.net/scrum-and-kanban-differences-and-similarities/
What is Scrum?
Scrum is a flexible methodology designed for complex projects where you often need to adapt to changes. Scrum is based on short cycles of development called sprints, which usually last from one to four weeks. The Scrum team is self-organized, small (usually no more than nine people), and includes one Scrum Master and one product owner. The rest of the team (programmers and testers) is called a development team. Original article: “Differences between Scrum and Kanban in Agile”, – https://www.kievpress.info/differences-between-scrum-and-kanban-agile/
As typical of Agile, Scrum uses an iterative approach to complete projects. Instead of providing a project at once, the teams perform and deliver tasks in stages. This facilitates adaptation to changes and changing priorities.
Scrum is built on three pillars:
Adaptation: Scrum is adaptive, which means that it accepts change. Scrum can easily take on a project that changes the tactical guidelines.
Transparency: Transparency guarantees that everyone in the team knows what is happening and why.
Inspection: The team and stakeholders are inspecting the projects consistently. This encourages a culture of improvement.
Scrum also has five basic values: courage, focus, commitment, respect, and openness. These values emphasize the importance of clear and honest communication, as well as the sense of ownership of each team member.
Kanban is a framework method used in software development. Real-time communication and transparency of work are required. The teams’ tasks are presented on a “kanban board”, which allows team members to see what stage of work the team has reached at any time.
The focus here is that the work is in constant progress (Work in Progress). Maps and columns are key elements to help teams commit to the right amount of work for them and not get distracted.
The “map” itself is a visualization of the “task”. It can be named, or described, for example, the “type” of the task.
Columns are another element – each column represents some step in your workflow (Workflow), with each step flowing into the next.
When a task or card is done, it is removed from the board and a new one is added to start working on it. The Kanban board is used continuously throughout the product development life cycle by simply changing the cards. Teams are self-organizing.
The idea is to reduce and limit the tasks that the teams work on to reduce the potential number of defects and reduce the distraction of the teams, which in turn should increase their productivity.
Scrum
In Scrum, the dashboard has no limits when it comes to the number of tasks. Their number is planned by the team during the so-called Sprint Planning meeting.
At the end of each sprint, the dashboard is cleared and restarted. New tasks are added and remain there until the end of the sprint. They are also often found in columns and have a corresponding status. The teams are self-organizing again.