Should You Choose Scrum or Kanban?  

When it comes to agile software development there are multiple frameworks and practices which you can employ to streamline the software development process. In this article, you will learn the differences between the two most popular frameworks: Scrum and Kanban and understand which one fits your needs better.

What is Kanban?

The meaning of the word Kanban is a signboard or billboard which is a Japanese term. It was developed by an engineer named Taiichi Ohno who found it while he was doing a project with Toyota Motor Corporation.

Use of Kanban In Software Development

Primarily Kanban was introduced in helping the projects of manufacturing. Later it was found out that almost the same things and processes are being used in software development as well. The use of Kanban can help the teams in improving their quality and efficiency along with quicker results.

Principles Of Kanban

Pull Model

Kanban helps the team in focusing on their quality and completing the work before the given deadline. By using this model it gives an ample amount of time to the team so that they can update the backlogs as well.

Visualization

This is one of the basic principles of Kanban. There are certain boards of Kanban that visualize the total work. This is one of the most important factors which helps you in seeing the outcome of the projects. In this, you outline all the major things of the product which would be affecting the quality and productivity of the product.

 

This helps you in seeing the bigger picture of the project and you can outline how you can take care of that project.

Limitations

This is also very important before picking any project. Teams are busy working the entire time but productivity is very less. In order to ease the burden on the team, you can just limit the work so that it can be completed in the given time. This also motivates the team and helps them work with more motivation.

Improvement

When it comes to the field of software development there is no end to the improvement. This field is growing every second of the day and there are continuous updates. This thing helps people working over there to grow as well.

Kanban Boards

This is one of the major tools which is used when you are using Kanban. This can be physical as well as it can be in software. They check the limitations of the project and they work according to that. This helps the team grow together.

What is Scrum?

In short, it is one of the agile frameworks designed for software project management. The basic principle on which it works is through teamwork and dedication. It brings new software every month and helps you in creating the best software for your client. With the use of scrum, the teams are able to produce superior quality software sooner, and most importantly – unlock the highest business value items first.

 

There are certain roles of Scrum which helps in developing software.

 

  1. Product Owner:

The work of the product owner is to maintain the product backlog and help the team to build items of the highest business value every sprint. If there are any changes in the backlog then it is the product owner’s responsibility to inform the team and reprioritize the work. If shaping the product, defining the roadmap, and setting the vision is something you enjoy, getting an agile product owner certification from the Scrum Alliance is an obvious course to start with.

 

  1. Scrum Master:

The person who is responsible for all the team’s work. It is his duty to motivate them and make them work under the given deadline. To maintain the quality of the software as well. He should be guiding them about the updates and how they can grow in their field.

 

  1. Scrum Team:

These are the real engineers behind the software. They are the ones who make it and are responsible for their quality.

Scrum Lifecycle

Product Backlog

The product owner is the one responsible for all this work. He has to maintain all the backlogs and have to update the team regarding the updates. He is the one who prioritizes the work for them.

 

Sprint

These are time-box increments that release regular product value to the end-users. The team has to complete a certain task over a certain period of time known as sprints. Sprints are continuous without any break which helps the team to grow and maintain the quality of the software. After the end of every sprint, they perform tests to prove that they are doing the right work.

Repetition

The process of the sprint is done until and unless the software is completed and ready for the client. Backlogs are maintained by the product owner while the sprints are being executed.

 

These are the few things which differentiate between a scrum and a Kanban and this will be helping you in deciding which is better for you according to your requirement.