Kanban, Scrum, and Agile are all methodologies developed by the Toyota Production System. Indeed, that has influenced lean methodologies, which developed into several frameworks like Kanban, Scrum, and Agile. Thus, those are the software development version of the lean manufacturing methodology.
Aspect | Kanban | Scrum | Agile |
---|---|---|---|
Methodology | Kanban is a visual management method that helps teams visualize, manage, and optimize their workflow. | Scrum is an Agile framework with specific roles, events, and artifacts. | Agile is a broad philosophy or approach to software development and project management that values flexibility and customer collaboration. |
Origin | Kanban originated in Japan at Toyota and was adapted for knowledge work, including software development. | Scrum has roots in the Agile movement and is designed for software development. | Agile principles originated from the Agile Manifesto and are applied across various industries. |
Roles | Kanban does not prescribe specific roles and allows teams to use existing roles or adapt as needed. | Scrum defines specific roles, including Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Development Team. | Agile does not define specific roles but emphasizes collaboration and cross-functional teams. |
Work Structure | Kanban does not use fixed iterations and allows work to flow continuously. | Scrum organizes work into fixed-length iterations called “sprints,” usually 2-4 weeks long. | Agile allows for various work structures and is not limited to fixed iterations. |
Work in Progress (WIP) | Kanban explicitly limits WIP by setting WIP limits on each stage of the workflow. | Scrum indirectly limits WIP through sprint planning and commitments. | Agile does not prescribe specific WIP limits but encourages teams to focus on completing work efficiently. |
Artifacts | Kanban uses a Kanban board with cards representing work items and columns representing workflow stages. | Scrum includes specific artifacts like Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increment. | Agile does not prescribe specific artifacts but encourages transparency and communication. |
Planning | Kanban focuses on visualizing and managing the flow of work and does not require formal planning meetings. | Scrum has formal sprint planning meetings to determine what work will be done in the upcoming sprint. | Agile allows for various planning approaches, including adaptive planning based on customer feedback. |
Changes | Kanban allows for flexibility and changes to priorities and work items at any time. | Scrum discourages changes to the sprint backlog during a sprint to maintain focus. | Agile encourages responding to change over following a plan, making it adaptable to changing requirements. |
Delivery | Kanban focuses on continuous delivery, with work items moving through the workflow as soon as they are ready. | Scrum aims to deliver a potentially shippable product increment at the end of each sprint. | Agile emphasizes delivering working software frequently, with a preference for shorter release cycles. |
Feedback | Kanban relies on visual cues and the WIP limit mechanism for feedback on workflow efficiency. | Scrum provides regular feedback through sprint reviews and retrospectives. | Agile values customer feedback and collaboration throughout the development process. |
Change Management | Kanban is often used as a gradual change management approach, allowing teams to evolve their processes incrementally. | Scrum introduces significant changes to existing processes and roles, which can require a more significant change management effort. | Agile is adaptable and encourages organizations to embrace change as part of their culture. |
Use Cases | Kanban is suitable for teams and projects that require flexibility, continuous delivery, and flow optimization. | Scrum is suitable for projects with clear product development goals and where structured iterations are beneficial. | Agile principles can be applied to various industries and projects that value customer collaboration and adaptability. |
Kanban
Scrum
Agile Methodology
Key Highlights
- Toyota Production System Influence: Kanban, Scrum, and Agile methodologies all originated from the Toyota Production System, which had a significant influence on lean methodologies. These methodologies are essentially adaptations of lean manufacturing principles for software development.
- Kanban:
- Origin: Developed by Toyota in the late 1940s as a lean manufacturing framework.
- Purpose: Visualizes work flow and identifies potential bottlenecks.
- Approach: Utilizes just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing principles to optimize engineering processes, accelerate manufacturing, and enhance the go-to-market strategy.
- Scrum:
- Origin: Co-created by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland.
- Focus: Facilitates effective team collaboration on complex product development, primarily intended for software projects.
- Iterative Approach: Aims to deliver new software capabilities every 2-4 weeks through iterative cycles.
- Applicability: Also used in project management to enhance productivity for startups.
- Agile Methodology:
- Evolution: Emerged as a response to heavyweight software development approaches dominant in earlier decades.
- Agile Manifesto: In 2001, the Manifesto for Agile Software Development was established. It outlined key principles for software development as a continuous iteration process.
- Paradigm Shift: Introduced a lighter, more flexible development method that prioritizes adaptability, collaboration, and responsiveness.
Context | Kanban | Scrum | Agile |
---|---|---|---|
Software Development | Kanban is used to manage the development pipeline in a software development team. It focuses on visualizing the flow of tasks, such as bug fixes and feature requests, and optimizing their progress. | Scrum is applied to software development to organize the work into timeboxed sprints (e.g., 2-week sprints) with a clear backlog of prioritized user stories. The team conducts daily stand-up meetings and sprint reviews. | Agile principles guide the entire software development process. Teams frequently collaborate with stakeholders to adapt to changing requirements, and they use iterative cycles to deliver valuable software increments. |
Manufacturing | Kanban is widely used in manufacturing processes to manage inventory levels and production flow. For example, a car assembly line can use Kanban cards to signal when more components are needed. | Scrum can be adapted for manufacturing to organize production tasks into sprint cycles. A factory may use Scrum to plan and execute specific production goals in fixed timeframes. | Agile principles can be applied in manufacturing by fostering cross-functional teams that work collaboratively to meet customer demand, respond to changes, and deliver high-quality products. |
Marketing | Marketing teams can use Kanban boards to track and optimize their campaigns, content creation, and advertising efforts. Tasks move from “Ideation” to “Execution” columns as they progress. | Scrum can be employed in marketing for timeboxed campaign planning. A marketing team might have a “Sprint Backlog” with tasks like content creation and advertising initiatives for a two-week sprint. | Agile marketing emphasizes flexibility and responsiveness to customer needs. Marketers collaborate closely with customers to adjust strategies and campaigns based on real-time feedback and market dynamics. |
Project Management | Kanban boards are useful for project management to visualize and manage tasks, deadlines, and project progress. For example, a project manager might use a Kanban board to track project milestones. | Scrum is often used in project management for software development projects. The project manager serves as the Scrum Master, and the team follows Scrum ceremonies like sprint planning and retrospectives. | Agile project management extends beyond software development. It focuses on adaptive planning, customer collaboration, and delivering incremental value to stakeholders, making it applicable to various project types. |
Product Development | Product development teams can apply Kanban to manage the product development pipeline. They visualize user stories, features, and tasks and prioritize them based on customer needs. | Scrum is commonly used in product development to create and enhance products. Teams plan and execute sprints to add new features or improve existing ones, following the product backlog. | Agile principles in product development involve close collaboration with customers, early and frequent releases, and the ability to pivot based on market feedback and changing priorities. The entire organization embraces agility. |
Customer Service | Customer service departments can use Kanban to manage customer inquiries and support requests. Each request is tracked on a Kanban board, moving from “Open” to “In Progress” to “Resolved” stages. | Scrum can be employed in customer service to manage service level agreements (SLAs) and support requests. Teams set sprint goals to resolve a specific number of customer inquiries within the sprint timeframe. | Agile customer service aims to provide excellent customer experiences through responsive and adaptive service. It involves cross-functional teams that collaborate to address customer needs, resolve issues, and continuously improve service quality. |
Read Also: Scrum, Kanban, Scrumban, Agile.
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