Agile, Scrum & Kanban
Three related but distinct terms that get used interchangeably far more often than they should.
8.4.1Definition
Agile is a set of values and principles favoring iterative delivery, responsiveness to change, and continuous feedback over rigid upfront planning. Scrum is a specific, structured framework implementing agile values through fixed-length sprints (8.5), defined roles, and regular ceremonies. Kanban is a different implementation emphasizing continuous flow and visualized work-in-progress limits rather than fixed iterations.
8.4.2Why It Exists
Rigid, fully-planned-upfront project management (often called "waterfall") struggles badly when requirements change mid-project — which they reliably do. Agile approaches exist to make responding to that change a normal, expected part of the process rather than a disruptive exception, trading some upfront predictability for the ability to adapt as real understanding develops.
8.4.3Scrum vs. Kanban
| Scrum | Kanban | |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Fixed-length sprints (8.5) with defined ceremonies | Continuous flow, no fixed iterations |
| Roles | Defined (Scrum Master, Product Owner) | No prescribed roles |
| Best fit | Teams benefiting from regular planning/review cadence | Teams with highly variable, continuously-arriving work (support, ops) |
8.4.4Common Mistakes
- Adopting Scrum's ceremonies without its underlying values — running the meetings while still managing the team with rigid, waterfall-style upfront planning underneath.
- Forcing Kanban-style continuous work into artificial sprint boundaries, or forcing Scrum's sprint cadence onto genuinely unpredictable, continuously-arriving work.
- Treating "we do agile" as a label rather than an actual practice, with none of the iterative feedback and adaptation the term is meant to describe.
8.4.5Best Practices
- Choose the framework that matches the actual shape of the work — Scrum for planned, sprint-sized feature work; Kanban for continuous, variable-arrival work.
- Focus on the underlying agile values (feedback, adaptability) rather than treating ceremonies as the goal in themselves.
- Adapt the chosen framework's specifics to the team's actual size and context rather than following a rigid textbook implementation.