How can I steer a team back from what's effectively kanban?

Identify the Differences Between Scrum and Kanban

To steer a team back from a Kanban approach to Scrum, start by clarifying the distinctions. Kanban focuses on continuous flow and visualizing work, while Scrum emphasizes iterative development through fixed-length sprints. Highlighting these differences helps the team understand why a shift back to Scrum is necessary.

Reinforce the Scrum Framework

Next, reinforce the Scrum framework. Remind the team of the roles, events, and artifacts that define Scrum:

• Roles: Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Development Team.
• Events: Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective.
• Artifacts: Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increment.

Regularly scheduled events are crucial for maintaining structure and accountability. Ensure these events are happening consistently.

Encourage Commitment to Sprints

Encouraging the team to commit to sprints is essential. Unlike Kanban, where work is pulled as capacity allows, Scrum requires teams to define a sprint goal and commit to delivering a set amount of work. This commitment fosters a sense of urgency and collaboration.

Address Impediments

Finally, address any impediments that may have led the team to drift toward Kanban. Are there external pressures or internal challenges affecting their ability to adhere to Scrum? Open discussions during retrospectives can help identify these issues and create actionable plans for improvement.

In our experience, teams often benefit from a clear understanding of Scrum principles and their practical application. At ThinkLouder, we’ve trained over 55,000 practitioners since 2001, emphasizing the importance of structure in Agile methodologies. For those looking to deepen their knowledge, consider our certification programs, starting at $349.

For further insights, check out our articles on What is Kanban in Agile? and Which is better, Agile or Kanban?.