Scrum vs. Kanban vs. Scrumban: What’s the Difference?

What is Scrum?

Scrum is a project framework used to implement Agile project management. Every project is broken down into short one- to four-week iterations, known as sprints. 

The Scrum team hustles to deliver some iteration of the final project at the end of each sprint so they can evaluate and improve for the next one.  

Scrum is a framework that makes even the biggest, most intimidating projects feel more manageable. It also focuses on continuous improvement — since the Scrum team (led by a person appointed as the Scrum master) is focused on learning from the previous sprint.

When to use Scrum

The Scrum framework is ideal for adopting a highly structured approach to project management whereby you tackle every aspect of your project in a systematic way.

That makes it an excellent choice for complex projects that can feel intimidating at first. By breaking a project down into achievable sprints, you can make it feel less overwhelming and make significant progress in a short space of time.

The Scrum framework is also best for projects that are prone to change in scope over time. Since you’ll have a Scrum leader composing the orchestra on individual projects, working this way allows you to pivot quickly and redirect the team’s energy when required.

The additional control you get over the way your team works will also benefit you for projects that require closer management and adaptability.

Advantages and limitations of Scrum

The main difference between Scrum and Kanban is that the former provides a built-in support system in the form of a Scrum leader and a small group of team members. The team can focus their collective energy on completing a series of sprints that lead to project progress with the close oversight of the Scrum leader.

The Scrum framework affords you a lot of flexibility and adaptability, which lets you take on all kinds of projects — even those that are likely to change over the course of time.

It also brings team members from different departments together and encourages effective cross-functional collaboration based on individual effort.

As for the limitations, the focus on collaboration can be seen as a strength but it can also represent a drawback. With lots of moving parts on a project, an over-reliance on effective communication between departments can lead to misinterpretations or issues with timing.

What is Kanban?

Kanban is another common Agile project management framework. And, much like Scrum, it breaks projects down into smaller chunks or stages.

But, how is Kanban different from Scrum? While Scrum breaks projects down based on time (one- to four-week sprints), Kanban breaks projects down based on the workflow. For example, in Kanban, you might break down your typical blog post-production workflow into ideation, outlining, drafting, revisions, and publishing. It isn’t time-based — instead, it views work as a continuous flow. 

The Kanban process is usually managed using Kanban boards, which are a visual representation of how tasks move through your workflow from start to finish.

When to use Kanban

The Kanban framework is best for defining a series of workflows and processes that will help you with continuous projects. With visual project management aids such as Kanban boards, you can more easily clarify the tasks in a project, and distribute roles and responsibilities accordingly.

By switching to Kanban, you can adjust your priorities on the fly and filter down key information intuitively. As a result, instead of being locked into sprints, you can take on one task one day, and another the next.

A common use case for the Kanban framework is in Agile software development, where troubleshooting tasks are likely to filter through one by one. 

Advantages and limitations of Kanban

Like Scrum, the Kanban framework offers a degree of flexibility as you can swap out high-priority tasks quickly. 

While with Scrum you can adapt to project scope change by redirecting your team with the Scrum leader at the helm, with Kanban you can move tasks around and instantly notify your team of the highest-priority tasks in real time.

The visual workflow you get from Kanban boards can streamline your team’s processes, as each team member will have a clear view of their responsibilities and who they should report to.

Unlike Scrum, the Kanban framework doesn’t lay out rules or principles to work by, instead simply offering tools to complete work more efficiently. As such, it might not be the best fit for large and complex projects that require a concerted team effort to complete.

There’s also a lack of focus on time — without sprints, the responsibility for meeting deadlines and due dates falls on the individual team members.

What is Scrumban?

Think Scrumban looks like you smashed the words “Scrum” and “Kanban” together? Well, that’s because that’s exactly what this is. As you think about Scrumban vs. Kanban vs. Scrum, the easiest way to approach Scrumban is to think of it as a combination of Scrum and Kanban. 

Scrumban is a great choice for teams who find Scrum to be too rigid, but Kanban to be too flexible. Here are a few notable elements of Scrumban: 

• Scrumban uses the Scrum backlog approach to plan, prioritize, and allocate work
• Scrumban uses Kanban boards to visualize work and progress

Some teams that use Scrumban stick with the Scrum requirement of sprints, while others choose to use Kanban rules to manage the amount of work that can be in progress at any time. Scrumban allows for that flexibility, and many teams think of it as the way to get the “best of both worlds” out of Scrum and Kanban.

When to use Scrumban

Say you’ve been using the Scrum framework to tackle several complex projects, but now you’re looking to transition to a more effective, long-term strategy for continuous projects. Now the water has steadied, you can adopt Scrumban to slowly transition to Kanban by incorporating several key elements in your current processes.

Scrumban is viable as a standalone framework, too. 

Imagine you deal with an unpredictable workload that includes client and internal projects, varying in size, scope, and duration. In this case, you might benefit from this hybrid system that combines strategic direction and collaboration with workflow clarity and visualization. 

Advantages and limitations of Scrumban

The main benefit of adopting the hybrid Scrumban approach is that you don’t have to fully commit to one Agile framework and swing the pendulum all the way in that direction.

By borrowing from both Agile frameworks, you can combine the stability of Kanban with the high level of focus from Scrum, which should ultimately lead to a balanced approach to project management.

Using both time-based sprints and visual workflows, your team should know what you expect from them at every moment and have the tools to collaborate well.

Using the Scrumban framework isn’t all positive, though. By borrowing elements from both frameworks, you can potentially dilute the effect and impact of each, and overcomplicate things for your team.

It will also take time to get accustomed to and will likely only work well if you adapt it to your team, which can lead to slower implementation.

Which Agile framework should you use?

When it comes to Scrumban vs. Kanban vs. Scrum, we can’t blame you if you’re wondering which one to choose. However, it’s important to remember that there isn’t one that’s inherently better than the others. 

Each framework has its use cases not only for different teams but for different specific projects. 

Your team might find Scrum to be the best fit for launching your new customer-facing knowledge base while Kanban is best for managing ongoing customer support inquiries.

Confused about how to make your choice? Let’s recap the fundamental differences between each framework so you know exactly where you stand.

Scrum vs. Kanban vs. Scrumban at a glance

Scrum: The Scrum framework is rooted in systems and principles for tackling complex projects in a cross-functional team. Unlike the other two frameworks, its systematic approach to project management provides a clear structure for work primarily based on individual input.

Kanban: The Kanban framework favors a long-term approach that focuses on the processes and workflows your team needs to thrive on a task-by-task basis. Whiles the other frameworks help with complex projects, the Kanban framework is more suited to projects with shifting priorities and those that require clarity through visualization.

Scrumban: The Scrumban framework blends the two above frameworks for a flexible hybrid approach that lets you combine time-based project work with clear workflows. It can act as a stepping stone from one framework to the other, or be your primary framework to accommodate an unpredictable workload.

So, what should you consider when making your final choice?

Project type

If you have a reliable workload that consists of a particular type of project, then you can use that information to make an informed decision regarding the Agile framework you choose.

Consider the project requirements, timeline, and factors such as the likelihood of shifting priorities or scope. If the project has a clear goal and due date, you might prefer Scrum. Yet if it’s more open-ended, then perhaps Kanban or Scrumban may be better options.

Team profile 

The projects you take on are one thing, but there’s another key element here: the profile of your team.

Think about:

• Experience level 
• Skill sets
• Communication 

While you could roll out the Scrum framework across the board and include new recruits, diving straight into the Kanban or Scrumban frameworks with an inexperienced team could be a recipe for disaster.  

Consider how your team works right now, including the make-up of experienced team members, and use that information alongside the projects in the pipeline to make an informed decision.

Stakeholders

Stakeholders are the third element in most projects that you need to factor into an important decision such as which Agile framework to adopt.

There’s no right or wrong answer here, but it’s best to understand your stakeholders’ needs so you can pick a system that will satisfy their expectations.

If your stakeholders are looking for a quick and responsive system that focuses on quick deliverable turnaround times, Kanban might be the best fit. If they prefer a more structured system where the need for input is limited to post- or pre-sprint sessions, the Scrum or Scrumban frameworks would be better.

Key takeaways: Scrum vs. Kanban vs. Scrumban

Here are a few helpful tips and distinctions to keep in mind: 

• Scrum is best for projects that need to charge forward and be delivered quickly
• Kanban is best for ongoing projects, such as providing a service
• Scrumban is best for projects that have both product and support features

As mentioned above, the first place to start when making a decision is by looking inward. Review the types of projects you typically take on, the profile of your team, and what any project stakeholders may prefer regarding input and communication.

Once you’ve carried out this internal review, you can proceed to analyze each of the three frameworks one by one to see which most closely aligns with your needs.

Selecting a framework to work with your current team and processes is far more likely to yield great results than diving in without first considering specific factors that will influence how well you work under any of the frameworks.

With that said, you could experiment with the frameworks before committing. Carry out a small-scale test run with a few team members and then you can adjust from there based on what your findings are.

To get started with any of the three Agile frameworks, you can get a leg up with Wrike and fast-track the implementation across your team. With a wide range of project management features including Kanban boards and cross-tagging, you can leverage Wrike to seamlessly introduce any Agile framework to your team.