Agile Teams---Scrum vs. Kanban

When to choose Scrum over Kanban

Deciding between Scrum and Kanban depends on the specific needs and goals of the product team, and both methodologies have their own advantages and disadvantages. Here are some factors that could influence the choice between Scrum and Kanban:

• Predictability: If the team needs a higher level of predictability and wants to plan and estimate work more accurately, then Scrum may be a better choice. Scrum provides a fixed time frame (a sprint, through a practice known as timeboxing) during which a set of tasks are completed. The team can use this predictability to plan and adjust their work based on the velocity (amount of work completed per sprint) and the outcomes they are working to accomplish.

• Team maturity: If the team is new to agile methodologies or if the team is still maturing, then Kanban may be a better choice. Kanban provides more flexibility in terms of the work process and can help the team to adapt to changing circumstances by being implemented over time. The team also works with a limited number of work items at any given time, and there is no timeboxing and pressure to deliver a potentially shippable product increment.

• Work type: If the work is more routine or recurring in nature, then Kanban may be a better choice. Kanban allows the team to optimize the flow of work and continuously improve their processes.