Other Processes and Methods

Kanban is not a process in traditional classification but more of a way of visualizing work items, and a method for creating efficiencies and ensuring customer value is delivered as soon as possible. Kanban can be used in isolation or in combination with any existing processes, including Scrum, Iterative and Incremental and Waterfall Processes. Each of these processes has their place and can be used with Kanban even though much of the literature about process is currently focused on iterative families of processes such as Agile.

The compelling thing about Kanban is that it provides a visualization of the flow of Work Items from the ideas stage through to delivering demonstrable value to the customer transparently to every team member.

Scrumban

Scrumban is a hybrid methodology combing aspects of Scrum and Kanban. Scrum teams can typically work with the same process they have always used, including Sprints, Standups, Retrospectives and Demos, but incorporate Kanban as a way of visualizing the Work Items, allowing just-in-time planning and benefiting from being able to set Work-In-Progress (WIP) Limits. The work items that have been selected for the Sprint or Iteration can be pulled from a Backlog Kanban board onto the Queue lane of an Iteration Kanban board.

Using Scrumban overcomes limitations or issues that some Scrum teams experience such as: excessive time required in Sprint planning, a loss of focus due to implementers working concurrently on too many User Stories, Defects or other items and information being forgotten over the period of the Sprint. The built-in one, two or three stage workflows would all be suitable for Scrumban but a team is free to define their own workflow, create their own Kanban boards and define their own lanes and sub-lanes.

Iterative Methods

Iterative and incremental methods have been in use since the mid nineteen seventies and have been incorporated into a number of waterfall processes as well as being used in isolation These processes can all benefit from the use of Kanban diagrams as a way of visualizing the work items in an iteration and any number of Kanban diagramscan be created to manage concurrent iterations.

Waterfall

Waterfall or modified methods have been in use since the mid nineteen-seventies and have been baked into a number of standards particularly in industries such as the military, aviation, travel and finance where outcomes typically need to be determined in advance of a development cycle. Waterfall methods are often used when requirements are locked down and scope is determined in advance, the product is stable and the technology platforms are well known and understood. These processes can all benefit from the use of Kanban diagrams as a way of visualizing the work items as they flow from phase to phase.