What is Agile vs Scrum vs Kanban?
Agile is a philosophy, Scrum a framework, and Kanban a visual method. Understand their differences and find the right approach for your team.
Answered by Giora Morein, Certified Scrum Trainer. ThinkLouder has trained 55,000+ practitioners since 2001.
Agile is a project management philosophy that emphasizes iterative development, collaboration, and customer feedback. Scrum is a specific framework within Agile, focusing on roles, events, and artifacts to manage work. Kanban, on the other hand, is a visual management method that helps teams optimize flow and efficiency.
Understanding Agile
Agile promotes flexibility and responsiveness to change. It allows teams to deliver small increments of work frequently, ensuring they can adapt to evolving requirements. Agile methodologies prioritize customer satisfaction and team collaboration.
Defining Scrum
Scrum consists of defined roles such as the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers. It uses time-boxed iterations called Sprints, typically lasting two to four weeks. Key events include Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective. Scrum provides a structured approach to Agile implementation, ensuring accountability and transparency.
Exploring Kanban
Kanban focuses on visualizing work to improve flow. Teams use a Kanban board to track tasks through various stages of completion. Unlike Scrum, Kanban does not have fixed iterations; instead, it continuously delivers work as capacity allows. This method is particularly effective for teams needing flexibility and constant delivery.
Key Differences
- Agile: A philosophy guiding iterative and incremental development.
- Scrum: A framework within Agile with specific roles and time-boxed iterations.
- Kanban: A visual method for managing work in progress without fixed iterations.
Choosing between these approaches depends on your team's needs and context. For structured, iterative work, Scrum may be best. If you need flexibility and continuous delivery, Kanban could be more suitable.
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