Agile is a set of ideals and principles that serve as our north star. “Kanban vs. scrum” is a discussion about two different strategies for implementing an agile development or project management system. Kanban methodologies are continuous and more fluid, whereas scrum is based on short, structured work sprints.
It's easy to point out the differences between scrum practices and kanban practices, but that's just at the surface level. While the practices differ, the principles are largely the same. Both frameworks will help you build better products (and services) with fewer headaches.
Agile methodology is a structured and iterative approach to project management and product development, enabling self-organizing teams to adapt to change effectively. In today's fast-paced environment, Agile is no longer a competitive advantage but a necessity to ensure accurate and efficient product development.
Kanban methodology revolves around the principles of work visualization, work in progress (WIP) limitation, and efficiency maximization, also known as flow optimization. Kanban teams dedicate their efforts to minimizing the lead time of projects or user stories, spanning from initiation to completion. This is accomplished through the utilization of a kanban board and a continuous pursuit of workflow enhancement.
Kanban, as a concept, encompasses the design, management, and refinement of flow systems tailored for knowledge work. By employing this approach, organizations can initiate an evolutionary transformation while capitalizing on their existing workflow. The method facilitates the visualization of the work process, imposes constraints on work in progress (WIP), and encourages a shift from starting multiple tasks to completing them sequentially.
Scrum teams endeavor to achieve the delivery of a potentially shippable increment of work within defined time intervals referred to as sprints. The primary objective of these teams is to establish iterative learning cycles aimed at efficiently gathering and integrating customer feedback. To ensure continuous progress, Scrum teams embrace designated roles, develop distinct artifacts, and conduct periodic ceremonies.
In Waterfall project management, projects are divided into sequential stages, with each stage relying on the completion of preceding deliverables. Unlike concurrent work, Waterfall follows a distinct phase-based approach, where completion of one stage is a prerequisite for initiating the next. Revisiting a prior phase is not feasible, and any revisions necessitate restarting the entire process. Therefore, when contemplating the choice between Agile and Waterfall for project management, it is important to note that Waterfall methodology offers limited flexibility compared to Agile.
You will need to decide based on your project's needs.
Focused on completing more work in less time.
Primarily focused on process optimization.
Works best for projects that are finished in a linear way and do not allow for reverting to a previous phase.
Emphasizes adaptable, concurrent processes. Agile methodologies divide projects into smaller, iterative phases.