Kanban vs. Scrum: 10 Key Differences

Kanban and Scrum are two popular models followed by agile teams. Kanban uses a system of boards and cards to track work items and their progress. Scrum, on the other hand, divides the work into fixed and short sprints. This article provides a detailed overview of the two methodologies and their 10 key differences.

What Is Kanban? 

Kanban is defined as a system of monitoring and regulating the production of software and physical goods by using one or more instruction cards relayed across the production pipeline. 

Management of workflow differs from one organization or company to another. It is a widely known strategy used to maintain an organized workflow and ensure maximum productivity in any organization. Kanban is based on using visual methods to manage workflow. 

The word is of Japanese origin and means a card used to show information, such as a signboard or a billboard. The use of Kanban began in the 1940s as a scheduling system for the Toyota Production System. At that time, Toyota introduced a new system called “Just In Time” manufacturing. This laid the foundation of the lean system targeted at minimizing waste and created what would later be known as the Kanban system. 

Fast forward to the 21st century, more people in other sectors apart from manufacturing began to realize how one could modify the Kanban system to meet the same need of maximizing productivity and minimizing waste. Therefore, in 2007, what is now accepted as the Kanban method emerged following a series of testing and modeling. The Kanban method is one where work items are visualized so that participants in the workflow can monitor, track and record the state of every task in the workflow. 

How does Kanban work?

When using the Kanban methodology, Kanban boards and Kanban cards are indispensable. The Kanban board is the center point of all the work done by the team. The board is used as a reference point for visualization, and this could be a physical board or a virtual board, as used in most agile software development teams or remote workers. 

Irrespective of the nature of the board, they function to establish a standard workflow, visualize the work process, and identify and resolve any bottlenecks. A Kanban board is divided into three parts describing each item’s stage in the workflow – ‘To Do,’ ‘In Progress, and ‘Done.’ The workflow can, however, be adapted to the unique demands of an organization. 

Kanban also works using Kanban cards. Each work item, for example, graphic designs for the month of June, assembling a motor part, organizing email marketing campaigns for the year, etc., is represented on a card, and the card is placed on the board depending on its position in the workflow at that point in time. 

That is, if the company’s design team has completed the designs for the month of June, that card can be transferred from “in progress” to the “done” aspect of the board. The board and card system helps every team member track what has been done, what should be done, and how they fit in with the rest of the team. 

The principles of Kanban include visualization, the limited amount of work-in-process, focus on flow, and maintaining continuous improvement.

Pros and cons of Kanban

Just like any other methodology, Kanban has its highlights and flaws. Its pros include:

• Easy to understand and implement: Kanban is simplistic and straightforward and can be easily learned and implemented. This is because the team’s primary focus is on the “doing” section of the Kanban board. 

• Flexibility: Kanban allows for a significant margin of flexibility. It accommodates changes made on short notice, aligning with the overall production goal. This means that although the team members know what is expected on the “to-do” list, one can make modifications like adding, removing or changing cards on the “to-do” column without causing much disruption in the workflow.
  The product manager in charge of the workflow process can also reprioritize work items based on changing needs in the market. In this way, Kanban offers maximum flexibility, which is advantageous to projects subject to real-time changes.

• Promotes collaboration among team members: Kanban fosters team spirit and cooperation. Users can easily exchange ideas and make helpful suggestions as every team member has access to the board and knows the expected results the organization is targeting.

• Increased efficiency: Efficiency describes how well an activity is performed with minimal resources. When workers are focused on multiple activities, there is a fall in efficiency and a lesser degree of accountability for resources used. Kanban eliminates this by limiting the amount of work in progress. This helps to identify bottlenecks while increasing efficiency. 

The Kanban methodology is not without its weaknesses. Some of the downsides of the system include the following: 

• It creates an avenue for distraction: Kanban does not set strict responsibilities for workers, so they risk losing focus on their primary goal. 

• Complexity may arise: In Kanban, every step of the production process is outlined and added to the board. This can gradually cause complex situations where one is confused, especially when prioritization is not appropriately done. 

What Is Scrum?

Scrum is defined as an iterative framework for managing software development projects that breaks down the development process into time-bound iterations or “sprints” and ensures alignment between teams working on different goals through daily meetings or “Scrums.” 

Scrum is a product development framework targeted at helping teams work together to achieve a common goal. The Scrum framework emphasizes teamwork, accountability and achieving a common goal. The name Scrum was obtained from a rugby game, and just like the game, Scrum encourages individuals to play their part, learn on the go from experiences, reflect on victories and failures and use them as a stepping stone to self-improvement.

Scrum allows for some degree of change in the production workflow. Although it is often used in software development, one can successfully apply these principles to other sectors where teamwork is needed. 

Scrum is a component of the agile framework and describes a series of meetings, tools, and roles that together help teams effectively structure and manage their work. In Scrum, there are roles to play, and some of the key ones include: 

• Product owner: The product owner is responsible for mapping out the expectations for that product or project and rightfully communicating them to the team members.

• Scrum master: A certified Scrum master oversees the entire project by ensuring that the best Scrum practices are followed during the project development. The Scrum master leads the team, ensuring proper communication, collaboration and conflict resolution.

• Development team: This consists of any other individuals directly involved in the development or production process, which can include DevOps engineers, quality assurance professionals, etc. The team functions based on Scrum principles.

How does Scrum work? 

Scrum works on a team basis. Just like the game from which it was coined, all team members come together to address a problem. They then create a product backlog, a list of items and activities that one must fully finish for the project to succeed. The team discusses the backlog, other necessities, and the time frame for the project completion. 

Using the agile concept of sprints, the team divides the project to be completed into different sprints ranging from a week to four weeks. The average length of each sprint is two weeks, and every sprint should end with a sprint review. At the review, the team chooses another item or group of items to develop within the next sprint session. This continues till the end of the project. Another part of the Scrum system is the daily Scrums. Daily Scrums are short meetings that help the team plan for the day and stay focused.

Scrum methodology functions on three pillars: adaptation, inspection, and transparency. Adaptation allows for flexibility; inspection, on the other hand, helps team members evaluate their performance. Lastly, transparency means that every member is aware of the general expectation and challenges of their fellow teammates. 

Pros and cons of Scrum 

Having understood what Scrum is all about, here are some advantages of using the technique. 

• Produces high-quality products and services: The Scrum technique comes with a better appreciation for the quality of work done. Team members must look back in retrospect at what has been accomplished, which can help identify weak points, low standards, security vulnerabilities, or errors that should be corrected. Altogether, it leads to the production of higher-quality goods and services. 

• Teamwork: Using Scrum, teams frequently meet to achieve common goals. This means better communication, the building of productive relationships, and, ultimately, collaboration. With attached deadlines, members take even greater responsibility and value their colleagues’ time. Sprints could also be competitions such as hacking sprints for software developers, designing sprints, etc. 

• Increased return on investment (ROI): ROI is bound to increase when real-time feedback is incorporated into the production process. Feedback is a fundamental part of the Scrum workflow. When properly integrated, the frequency of mistakes and errors drops. There is also the generation of ideas that lead to the development of faster processes while consuming fewer resources.

However, some of the negative aspects of Scrum include the following:

• Problems with pacing: In Scrum, the team is only as fast as the slowest member. This is because projects are completed before returning to the deliberation point at sprint reviews.
• It requires complete focus: While the sole focus might be advantageous, it may be difficult for newly recruited workers and non-technical professionals to maintain the needed focus.
• Poor goal definition may lead to errors: Goals must be accurately defined and spelled out so that team members will work in tandem to reach the desired endpoint. 

Kanban vs. Scrum: 10 Key Differences 

Scrum and Kanban are two methodologies that have been applied to different organizations and various agile DevOps scenarios with measurable results. Indeed, there are similarities between both methods – for example, Scrum and Kanban both make use of visual components. Notwithstanding, these two approaches to product development have clear-cut differences in how they are implemented. 

To use them appropriately, one must understand the differences between Scrum and Kanban.

1. Differences in structure

Scrum and Kanban exist based on different structures. The Scrum methodology is fixed with several concepts entrenched as part of its fundamental principles. These include the sprint review, daily Scrum meetings, introspective, etc. In Scrum, putting a cross-functional team together is also quite tasking.

On the other hand, Kanban allows for work items (via cards) to be modified, and users can also move them across swimlanes or board columns. There is a greater degree of freedom in Kanban, and the only exception to this rule is in the work-in-progress limit. This is usually fixed even in Kanban. Further, Kanban can also easily adapt to changes and restructure the team. 

2. Roles and responsibilities

When we talk about Scrum as a workflow principle, it encourages set rules and responsibilities. Every team member has a specific function, and the Scrum master determines this. In contrast, in Kanban, there are little to no predefined roles. Every team member collaboratively gives their input, chipping in when other teammates might be unable to work. Even though the team has a project manager, there is a lot of mixing of roles and responsibilities.

3. Execution of ideas

The execution of ideas in Scrum and Kanban are pretty different. In the Scrum methodology, tasks are broken up into sprints. Each sprint is expected to last a defined period (usually two weeks) and accomplish an already-established goal. There is little to no change or deviation from the original plan when using the Scrum methodology. It focuses on smaller fixed-length processes, which must be completed before evaluation. 

However, Kanban differs significantly in that it is less rigid and has a more straightforward process for evaluating ideas, similar to continuous integration and development (CI/CD). In Kanban, analysis is done during the production cycle as it is a constant process. Individuals are left to more or less work at their own pace with some degree of supervision. 

4. Indices for measuring performance

In Scrum methodology, the amount or success of work done is measured by the speed of completion of a backlog. Scrum measures production using the velocity of each sprint. Sprints are planned so that the success of subsequent sprints relies on their predecessor. Therefore when they all fall in place smoothly without extension of deadlines, the project can be considered successful. 

The metrics of Kanban are slightly different. In Kanban, success is measured based on cycle time. This means the total time required for the completion of the entire project. Other indices measuring success in Kanban include throughput and work in progress. 

5. Scheduling due dates and setting a delivery timeline

Scrum’s approach to setting due dates is straightforward as it involves fixing a time frame for each sprint. This establishes clear deadlines for the expected job of every development team member. Within that period, the tasks must be completed and ready for review. 

In Kanban, there is a continuous approach to deliverables. Rather than deadlines, work-in-progress limits are set, and these tasks are executed according to priority using CI/CD tools. If needed, the team leader can select due dates for some projects to guide the team’s performance. However, products and processes are delivered continuously based on the current needs.

6. Cooperation and teamwork

Cooperation and teamwork are fundamental components of every successful organization, irrespective of their development strategies. Different strategies vary as to the extent to which they encourage cooperation. In Scrum, every team member is assigned a unique task, and although they work together to meet deadlines, there is a lesser degree of teamwork. This is compared to Kanban, where there are no expressly unique roles, and cooperation is significantly increased. 

7. The ability to improvise

Scrum has no room for improvisation once a sprint has started. This is irrespective of the potential benefits. Improvisations may come in during reviews but hardly ever within a sprint. On the other hand, Kanban encourages improvisations and allows adjustments at any time in the production cycle. 

8. Difference in applications

When using Scrum, a backlog consists of specialized tasks and is owned by a single team. The Scrum methodology is most suitable for goal-driven projects with fixed deliverables and a limited timeframe. Kanban is better suited to long-term projects requiring multiple changes while retaining a stable priority. It can have multiple teams in the organization sharing a central Kanban board, which may remain in place for several weeks or even months. 

9. Level of experience required

Scrum is structured in a way best suited to professionals and highly experienced team members. It may prove difficult for recruits to follow through effectively. If the team consists of non-experts, there may be delays at each sprint. Kanban is different in that it is straightforward to understand, so both experts and newbies can confidently utilize the process. 

10. Scrum vs. Kanban tools

Finally, a significant difference between these two methodologies is the tools that product teams use. Today, there are several software apps available to streamline development, and this includes both Kanban and Scrum-based offerings. An integrated development environment (IDE) is probably the foundational software you will use to build products – in addition, one can use exploreMonday.com, Kanbanize, etc., which are popular Kanban tools, or Zoho Sprints, Sprintly, etc. that follow the Scrum model. It is worth noting that tools like Jira and Trello allow project progress to be managed by both Scrum and Kanban methodologies. 

Takeaway 

While Kanban and Scrum are fundamentally different methods, it is essential to know both to succeed in project management. For example, even Scrum teams working in sprints sometimes rely on Kanban board-type apps to track sprint progress, and the Scrum master must know how to operate the Kanban system. As more teams embrace the agile software development model, knowing the difference between Kanban and Scrum and choosing the suitable method can help optimize your release timelines. 

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