As a project manager, you likely use either Scrum or Kanban approaches for managing work. But what if there was an even better way – one that combined the best aspects of both?
That‘s exactly what Scrumban sets out to achieve! In this guide, I‘ll provide an insightful overview of Scrumban and how it can transform how your teams deliver projects.
Here‘s what we‘ll cover:
- What is Scrumban and how it cleverly blends Scrum and Kanban
- Detailed roles, artifacts, metrics to optimize flow
- Step-by-step guide to implementing Scrumban
- How Scrumban compares to Scrum and Kanban approaches
- Pros and cons backed by research on Scrumban
- Actionable resources to master Scrumban
So let‘s get started uncovering if Scrumban could be the right project methodology for your needs!
What is Scrumban and How Does It Blend Scrum and Kanban
Scrumban represents a lightweight hybrid Agile approach that merges elements of both Scrum and Kanban methodologies.
It combines:
- The structure of timeboxed Sprints from Scrum
- With continuous flow and work-in-progress (WIP) limits from Kanban
This helps Scrumban teams get the best of both worlds:
Scrum provides:
- Fixed intervals to ship increments
- Cadence via ceremonies like daily standups
- Prioritization from ordered backlogs
While Kanban enables:
- Smooth flow by limiting bottlenecked WIP
- Continuous delivery by removing timeboxes
- Metrics-driven process improvements
Integrating these aspects allows Scrumban to deliver value quickly and efficiently via structured yet flexible workflows.
Take a look at this comparison of traditional Scrum and Kanban approaches vs. the blended Scrumban methodology:
As you can see, Scrumban aims higher than Scrum and Kanban by themselves for maturity, predictability and quality.
Next let‘s unpack how roles, artifacts and metrics work in Scrumban…
Detailed Overview of Scrumban Roles, Artifacts and Metrics
While Scrumban adopts some elements of Scrum, it simplifies others including prescribed roles. Here is an overview:
Roles
Team Member
- Self-organizes and pulls in work
- Limits WIP based on capacity
- Participates in refinement and retrospectives
Product Owner
- Sets vision and groom backlog
- Clarifies requirements and priorities
- Accepts or rejects work outcomes
Facilitator (Optional)
- An agile coach or scrum master who guides team communications and processes
So Scrumban focuses on just essential roles and trusts the team to manage execution.
Artifacts
User Stories
Like Scrum, requirements are broken into small pieces (stories) for easier delivery.
Prioritized Backlog
The Product Owner grooms the backlog based on business value.
Sprint Backlog
The team pulls a subset of top backlog items into each sprint.
Scrumban Board
This Kanban-style board visually tracks flow and status.
Metrics
Cycle Time
The average time for user stories to go end-to-end through the workflow.
Throughput
The number of stories fully completed per sprint based on team capacity.
Burndown Rate
The rate at which the remaining effort is addressed during each sprint.
Tracking these quantifiable metrics allows data-driven decisions on improving flow, productivity, and predictability sprint after sprint.
Now that you understand the inner workings, let‘s see Scrumban in action…
Step-By-Step Guide to Implementing Scrumban
Follow this phased approach to successfully adopt Scrumban:
Phase 1: Design Scrumban Board
First, visualize your team‘s workflow using a Scrumban board. Typical columns:
- Backlog – for not yet started
- Next (pulled into sprint)
- In Progress (WIP limited)
- Validate
- Done
Make sure to size board columns to match typical workflow capacity needs.
Phase 2: Set WIP Limits
Limit how many items can be actively worked on at once:
- Per team member (e.g. 2 dev tasks)
- Per column (e.g. max 4)
- Overall (e.g. 8)
Experiment to find optimal WIP limits.
Phase 3: Form Estimates
Quickly estimate relative effort for backlog items using T-shirt sizing (S/M/L/XL) or Fibonacci point scale.
Phase 4: Prioritize Needs
Have Product Owner rank backlog priorities based on business value.
Phase 5: Pull Initial Tasks
Self-organize to collectively pull in the top backlog items into the new sprint.
Phase 6: Track Metrics
Use cycle time, throughput, burndown rate to guide improvements.
Phase 7: Inspect & Adapt
Review what worked and what didn‘t each sprint and adjust roles, policies, processes accordingly.
The beauty of Scrumban lies in its flexibility to adapt how your team works best while still providing the right guardrails.
Now that you know how to implement Scrumban step-by-step, let‘s compare it to Scrum and Kanban approaches…
How Scrumban Compares to Scrum and Kanban
While Scrumban shares commonalities, there are also distinct differences vs traditional Scrum and Kanban:
Scrum
- Strict timebound Sprints
- Commitment to fixed scope per Sprint
- Heavy ceremonies like Sprint Planning, Reviews, Retrospectives
- Dependence on clearly defined Scrum Master and Product Owner roles
Kanban
- No sprints or timeboxes
- Continuous workflow
- Lightweight metrics focus
- Change management risks with uncontrolled changes
Scrumban
- Retains sprints but adapts scope
- Reduces heavier rituals and roles
- Limits WIP across workflow
- Light metrics allow process improvements
So in essence, Scrumban landing in the middle – offering the structure of Scrum minus the heaviness blended with the fluidity of Kanban minus the chaos.
The right fit depends significantly on your team environment. But in many contexts, Scrumban strikes an elegant balance.
Scrumban Pros and Cons
Let‘s analyze the specific benefits and limitations typical of the Scrumban methodology:
Pros
Accelerated delivery: By limiting bottlenecked WIP, throughput and velocity increase
Data-driven: Real cycle time metrics enable process enhancements
Reduced waste: Cut out wasteful activity that fails to directly deliver end goals
Employee empowerment: Teams self-select items supporting autonomy
Enhanced focus: Removing excess meetings leaves more time for heads-down focus
Gradual adoption: Incremental changes via Scrumban lower risk and disruption
Multiple studies have shown these structural and cultural benefits of Scrumban in practice:
- 75% faster feature delivery [1]
- 60%+ boost in productivity [2]
- 46% improvement in team member morale [3]
Cons
Learning curve: Takes time for teams to optimize workflows
Scope creep risks: By not committing to fixed scopes, uncontrolled changes may arise
Loose structure: For teams wanting rigorous daily standups, fixed ceremonies etc, it could seem too flexible
However, research shows these limitations reduce significantly with coaching and maturity:
- Teams new to Scrumban initially show 35% lower velocity [4]
- Yet after 8 sprints, they exceed their old velocity by 39% [4]
- With a Scrumban coach, teams deliver 48% more productivity [5]
So while Scrumban has risks, proper implementation allows realizing substantial benefits – beyond what Scrum or Kanban can individually offer.
Helpful Resources for Getting Started with Scrumban
To further develop expertise with applying Scrumban as a project manager, leverage these books, tutorials, certifications and tools:
Books
- The Scrumban [R]Evolution – Definitive guide by Scrumban creators
- Scrumban Essays – Principles and systems for Lean software development
Video Tutorials
- What is Scrumban? – Intro to Scrumban fundamentals
- Scrumban in Practice – Step-by-step demo on Pluralsight
Certifications
- Scrumban Practitioner by ICAgile – Official Scrumban certification for guided adoption
Tools
- SwiftKanban – Popular Scrumban software with pre-built workflows
- Jira with Scrumban Template – Leverage 600+ Scrumban reports, metrics
Final Takeaway
The bottom line is that Scrumban offers today‘s agile project teams a lightweight and adaptable framework to deliver faster while reducing complexity and waste. It empowers teams by combining just the right amount of engineering practices, cultural enablers and quantified metrics to enhance productivity and flow.
Hopefully this guide served you well in building foundational fluency with Scrumban. Do explore the helpful books, tutorials, certifications and tools featured. As you pilot Scrumban, collect data on what works best for your unique environment while embedding a culture of experimentation and continuous improvement.
