Kanban vs. Scrum vs. Agile: Which Is the Best Methodology for Your Project?

There are various processes you can use to nurture effective creative teams. Each method has its pros and cons, and choosing the right one for your project can be challenging.

If you need to know the best way to facilitate productivity for your marketing team, check out this article to learn more about Kanban, Scrum, and Agile. Depending on your needs and resources, you might find one of these more suitable than the other. 

Let's discuss their similarities and differences so that you can decide which is best for your organization.

What is Agile Software Development?

Agile software development is a methodology that emphasizes working software over comprehensive documentation. 

It was developed by a group of people who were part of the Extreme Programming (XP) community in 2001 at the Snowbird ski resort in Utah. They shared their ideas and experiences and wrote down what became known as the Agile Manifesto. This document listed twelve principles that guide developing software using an agile process.

What is Scrum?

Scrum is a popular form of Agile software development. It was developed in the 1990s by Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schwaber, and has since become one of the most widely used methods for creating value through iterative project management.

In Scrum, work items are divided into three categories: user stories (for example, "As a new user, I want to see a list of my orders"), tasks ("Create an order history table"), and bugs ("Order list does not include all orders").

Progress is evaluated in two-to-four-week intervals called sprints. The Agile Scrum methodology consists of ceremonies that facilitate collaboration and alignment amongst its members.

What is Kanban?

Kanban is a methodology for continuous improvement. It’s a simple, visual way of managing work. Kanban can be used in software development and manufacturing to enable teams to deliver high-quality products quickly and efficiently.

The core principles of Kanban are:

• Visualize work with cards, boards, or other tools
• Limit work in progress (WIP) at any given time
• Manage flow by limiting WIP for each stage of the process
  
  

Difference Between Agile, Scrum, and Kanban

Now that you have a basic understanding of each methodology let’s dig deeper into what they each stand for. 

Agile is a group of project management methodologies focusing on iterative software development. It emphasizes the importance of flexibility and adaptability to change over time while embracing new ideas.

Scrum is an implementation of Agile within software engineering projects where teams develop products in short cycles (called sprints) with incremental improvements every cycle. This allows them to reach their goals faster than traditional waterfall development methods. 

Scrum also consists of several ceremonies that teams need to follow. Examples of these are the daily scrum (daily stand-ups for team alignment), sprint review (evaluations of the deliverable after a sprint), and retrospectives (assessment of the workflow and process after a sprint).

Kanban is more of a workflow management method than anything else, focusing primarily on how work gets done over its duration rather than how it begins or ends. 

Kanban focuses heavily on maximizing flow throughout the process so that developers can quickly respond to changing demands without slowing down overall productivity levels or wasting resources.

Which Methodology Is Best For Your

Creative Team?

The deciding factor of whether or not a project should be developed using Agile methodologies is based on the needs and goals of the client. 

If they have a clear idea of what they want, then it is likely that they will choose a linear approach over Agile. However, responsiveness to information and flexibility can be paramount for marketing campaigns. In this case, Agile methods may be the way to go.

Between Kanban and Scrum, Kanban can be more straightforward to implement. Agile Scrum is best implemented with a Scrum Master –a specialist for Scrum ceremonies. They can also be used together, however. The resulting method is called scrumban.

When implementing any project management methodology it is always best to use project management software to automate your processes and increase efficiency, which in turn leads to increased productivity. Workamajig is the premiere marketing project management software that allows for seamless project management and was created exclusively for creative teams and marketing agencies. Their project management tool has all the features you need, which include; task management, resource management, billing & accounting, CRM, and business intelligence. See how you can work smarter, and increase profitability with Workamajig.