ScrumBan is a hybrid agile framework that combines elements of Scrum and Kanban to provide an effective method for managing work. It incorporates Scrum's iterative processes alongside Kanban's principles of visualizing workflows and promoting continuous progress. This combination offers a structured yet flexible approach to organizing and completing tasks.
When starting an initiative, teams can choose whether to use Scrum or ScrumBan (Scrum combined with Kanban) to manage their work. This guide explores how Kanban can be applied to manage tasks across all teams within an organization. The use of Scrum for managing projects, IT operations, and DevOps is discussed in detail in the A Guide to the Scrum Body of Knowledge (SBOK® Guide), Fourth Edition, and in the white paper Extending Scrum to IT and DevOps.
Typically, Scrum projects and Kanban Workflows are managed separately by different teams. However, at the enterprise level, businesses may have portfolios and programs that involve multiple Scrum projects and Kanban Workflows. To scale Kanban across an enterprise, it is essential that those responsible for managing portfolios and programs have visibility into all the work being performed by Scrum and Kanban Teams within the company. This may include multiple prioritized product backlogs, Kanban Backlogs, and releases.
Figure A.1 illustrates how scaling Kanban through the use of a Kanban Board can facilitate collaboration across teams and workflows:
Figure A.1: Use of Kanban Board in Scaling Kanban (Source: Vabro)
Figure A.1 above shows a Kanban Board interface for 'Kanban Initiative 1,' displaying tasks and user stories categorized by status (To Do, In Progress, Done). Various tasks, such as 'Task Group,' and user stories like 'User Story 2' and 'User Story 1,' are visible, with some marked as complete and others showing ongoing progress, indicating a collaborative workflow environment.
Figure A.2: Use of Kanban Backlog in Scaling Kanban (Source: Vabro)
Figure A.2 above shows a Kanban Board backlog in Vabro with various tasks categorized by task group, user story, and category. It indicates their estimated time, assigned team, and current status. The tasks are organized across different boards and assigned to various team members, reflecting the progress and workflow of an ongoing project.