How does Kanban differ from Scrum?

Kanban and Scrum are two popular project management methodologies in Agile, but they have key differences:

• Structure and rhythm:

  • Scrum works in fixed-length iterations (sprints) (usually 2-4 weeks), with clearly defined roles (Scrum Master, Product Owner, team) and ceremonies (planning, daily stand-ups, retrospectives).
  • Kanban has no fixed iterations; work is continuous, and tasks move across a visual board with columns reflecting stages of the process.

• Changes in the process:

  • In Scrum, changes during a sprint are minimal; tasks are fixed for the sprint duration.
  • In Kanban, tasks can be added and changed at any time, providing flexibility.

• Constraints:

  • Kanban uses work-in-progress (WIP) limits to avoid overload.
  • Scrum limits work by sprint and the volume of tasks within it.

• Planning approach:

  • Scrum requires sprint planning and task estimation.
  • Kanban is more focused on flow and process optimization.

Example of a Kanban board:

| Backlog | In Progress (WIP=3) | Testing | Done |
|---------|---------------------|---------|-------|
| Task1   | Task2               | Task3   | Task4 |

Thus, Kanban is more flexible and continuous, while Scrum is a structured and iterative approach.