Kanban or Scrum: the right board for your company?

Can Scrum do what Kanban can? Or was it Kanban that can do everything that Scrum can already do? Kanscrum or Scrumban, Kanban or Scrum – it’s good that Jira can do both. Enough of the bad rhymes and let’s go: What is the difference between Kanban and Scrum and which board is best for your company? We explain both agile methods, show where their strengths lie and how Jira supports both approaches as a project management tool for Scrum or Kanban.

What is the difference between Kanban and Scrum?

Scrum is a structured, sprint-based method that was developed for teams working on incremental and iterative cycles. Assigned tasks are processed in so-called sprints, which normally last between two and four weeks. After each sprint, the current status of the team is recorded as part of the sprint review. In the subsequent sprint planning, new priorities are set and tasks are assigned for the next sprint.

Scrum is particularly useful if you have a clear goal and a fixed timeframe in mind. The method helps teams to break down their projects into smaller, manageable tasks and manage the work based on values, methods, principles and clear structures.

"The Scrum board in Jira allows you to plan sprints, prioritize backlogs and divide the work into iterations."

Kanban is a continuous method that does not require a fixed time frame. The focus is on the workflow itself, which is continuously optimized. There are no fixed sprints in the Kanban method. Tasks are “pulled” as soon as capacity is available. Kanban is ideal for teams that work on ongoing projects and are therefore reliant on flexibility.

The goal is the ideal allocation of resources, with the Kanban board being the central place where tasks can be visualized, ongoing tasks can be limited and workflows can be improved. Agile and DevOps teams benefit from a structured way of working and a clear distribution of tasks.

Kanban or Scrum - which method suits my company?

The choice between Kanban or Scrum depends on the requirements of the company, or more precisely those of the individual teams. Scrum is the better option for projects with clearly defined milestones and strict deadlines. It is perfect for (software) development projects whose development can never be precisely planned. A huge task becomes many small milestones, which also has a positive psychological effect on the entire team and its motivation.

A team with a continuous flow of work (especially in maintenance or support) literally has the better cards with Kanban. It is ideal when flexibility and fast response times are required.

Why Jira is essential for Scrum and Kanban

Whether you choose Kanban or Scrum, a project management tool is essential to successfully implement both methods. Jira by Atlassian has proven to be a wonderfully scalable tool to implement and manage both methods.

Jira offers specific boards for Scrum and Kanban that help teams organize, track and optimize their work.

"As an agile project management hybrid, Scrumban combines the best aspects of both methods. "

Jira for Scrum

With Jira, you can easily create and manage Scrum projects. The Scrum board in Jira allows you to plan sprints, prioritize backlogs and divide work into iterations. Here are some of the features Jira offers for Scrum:

  • Sprint planning: In Jira, sprints can be defined with a clear start and end date. Teams have the option of organizing their backlogs in detail and recording the most important tasks in the upcoming sprint.
  • Burn-down charts: These charts show how much work has been completed in the sprint and how much still needs to be done. They provide a crystal-clear overview of the team’s progress.
  • Sprint review and retrospective: Jira supports the Scrum ceremonies by providing reports and statistics that allow teams to analyze performance after each sprint.

With these functions, Jira is the ideal tool for efficiently implementing Scrum methods in your company. It helps your teams to plan sprints, clearly define tasks and track progress live.

Jira for Kanban

Agile teams that choose Kanban benefit from Jira’s powerful features to continuously optimize their workflows. The most important features for Kanban teams are certainly:

  • Flexible workflows: Instead of using sprints, Kanban is based on continuous work. Jira allows teams to organize tasks into columns such as “To Do”, “In Progress” and “Done”. All stakeholders can track the progress of work, identify bottlenecks and celebrate successes.
  • WIP limits: Kanban in Jira allows you to set work-in-progress limits. This ensures that not too many tasks are being processed at once. This prevents overloads and ensures smooth workflows.
  • Cycle time tracking: Another useful tool in Jira for Kanban teams is cycle time tracking. This integrated function helps to find out how much time passes between the creation and completion of a task.

Jira provides the flexibility you need to drive continuous improvement in your Kanban process and make your workflow efficient. Thanks to the visual representation, you can see the current status of your project at any time and identify bottlenecks before they have a negative impact on your operating result.

Scrumban - just a buzzword or a real hybrid alternative?

The need to choose between Kanban and Scrum has led to the development of a hybrid of the two methods: Scrumban is an agile project management hybrid that combines the best aspects of both methods. Scrumban is popular with teams that value the flexibility of Kanban but also want to benefit from the structural elements of the Scrum method.

With Scrumban, teams can continue to work on tasks in a continuous workflow, but at the same time plan and manage sprints to achieve certain milestones.

Jira also supports Scrumban teams in their work by allowing them to use Kanban boards and at the same time integrate certain tasks or milestones into a sprint structure if necessary.

The hybrid form of Scrum and Kanban makes it possible to adapt the method depending on the project. Jira is able to handle Scrumban and offers all the necessary functions that your teams need to utilize all the advantages of both methods.

Comparison of Scrum, Kanban, and Scrumban

Polygran supports you in the decision for Scrum or Kanban

Thanks to its versatile functions and numerous apps, with Jira you don’t have to choose strictly one of the agile methods. Whether Scrum, Kanban or the hybrid form with Scrumban – our team will show you how you can optimally establish and use Jira as a flexible project management tool in your company.

Arrange your non-binding consultation appointment now

And find out how you can achieve your goals easier, faster and more securely with Jira from Atlassian.

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