An Insightful Guide About Scrumban Methodology for Project Managers

Are you looking for better efficiency and productivity than most widely-used Agile tools like Scrum and Kanban? You can try the Scrumban methodology—a hybrid Agile tool.

DevOps teams across the globe have been using Agile for a long time, and now they are hungry for more productivity. Agile tools like Lean Development, Scrum, Kanban, Extreme Programming, and others are well-known. 

However, these methodologies have limits of their own. Agile and DevOps experts have been experimenting fusion of various Agile methodologies. So far, Scrumban has been highly successful.

Want to know more about Scrumban so that you can also try it on a project as a pilot basis? Read this article until the end, and you should become a Scrumban expert.       

Introduction

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Scrumban is an Agile project management strategy that combines two common Agile processes: Kanban and Scrum. Agile framework developers developed this method to help project and DevOps teams to transition to Scrum from Kanban and the inverse.

For example, if your DevOps team is an expert on scrum but does not know how to manage project tasks efficiently, then Scrumban training will help them transition to Kanban from Scrum. On the other hand, Kanban experts can switch to a structured and predictable development framework using scrum. 

Interestingly, Scrumban did not just end here!

DevOps and project management teams have found that the hybrid model, Scrumban methodology for Agile, is more effective than Scrum and Kanban. 

You do not need to adhere to strict and structured batch processing of tasks in a Scrum environment. Nor do you give your project or DevOps team too much freedom to stall tasks by just assigning them Kanban columns like Ready to Start, Under Review, In Progress, etc.

In a nutshell, Scrumban is the perfect blend of some degree of freedom of Kanban board for project tasks and the prescriptive nature of scrum. These Agile strategies keep the project management or Agile product development team churning out maximum tasks. 

Not to mention, your team can avoid recurring bugs, dependencies, and task review delays when working on Agile projects.        

Pros and Cons

All Agile strategies come with some advantages and limitations. Let us explore the same for Scrumban below:

Pros of Scrumban

• Implementation of Scrumban is easier than just Scrum or Kanban. 
• Scrumban is perfect for teams that are self-motivated and ready to take charge. 
• Projects that do not utilize a project management strategy can kickstart with Scrumban for a transparent way of tracking tasks being assigned and completed.
• There is a risk of wasting time on tasks that do not help you meet the goals of a specific sprint in a Scrum environment.
• Since Scrumban is an iterative method for Agile development, it keeps the project structure constant by allowing small changes in the long term.
• Scrumban is highly suitable and suggested for long-term projects that will attract many changes, but the project will always stay on track.
• It is the perfect tool to introduce autonomy in your DevOps or project management teams. Team members can prioritize tasks according to their convenience rather than simply following the product owner’s or Scrum master’s instructions.     

Cons of Scrumban

• Scrumban is not a one-size-fits-all tool for the Agile framework. Teams that need supervision and management may not perform well if you implement Scrumban.
• Scrumban lacks standardization. You may not find the right project or product development template for Scrumban in Agile tools.
• You may also be unable to relate your project needs with the others who worked using Scrumban since it is a highly customized approach for Agile.
• Managing multiple Scrumban teams can become challenging since the teams’ needs are vastly different.
• There are no specific hierarchies and roles in Scrumban. Team members can have different opinions about the sprint, which could create a bottleneck in the project.       

Working

Scrumban works by implementing selected features of Scrum on Kanban, and these are: 

• Regular iteration planning
• Review implementation in sprints
• Work assignment by considering the length of the sprint and complexity
• Easy work prioritization
• Analyze the work and tasks before starting the development
• Backlog and Doing queue for work organization

Similarly, from Kanban, you take the following elements to transform scrum: 

• Continuous workflow
• Pull system for task status like Doing, Reviewing, Pending, etc.
• Limit the number of tasks in progress
• Focus on teamwork
• Just-in-time analysis
• Use visual tools and techniques to identify project weaknesses
• Concentrate on a task’s cycle time

Now, you need to collate all the features from the above two lists in one virtual whiteboard. Create a Kanban board for task timeline and status indication. Then, assign tasks according to priority and dependency to start using Scrumban.  

Scrumban vs. Scrum vs. Kanban

Scrumban has overlapping features from Kanban and Scrum since it is a hybrid Agile methodology. 

However, the followings are the unique features that set Scrumban apart from Scrum and Kanban: 

#1. Absence of Hierarchies

A Scrumban team runs on autopilot. There are no defined managers, supervisors, or subordinates. Everyone’s thinking gets the same value within the development project.

Hence, this Agile methodology is perfect for highly experimental products, services, or software that brings the smartest and toughest to one table.   

#2. No Stringent Deadline

Most Scrumban projects do not have a deadline. By default, each sprint should last for two weeks. You can adjust this period depending on the sprint complexity.

Team members can deeply focus on the sprint for two weeks until it is time for reiteration and reviews. 

Thus, you will only find Scrumban in projects that go on for years or experimenting with technology to develop novel derivatives of the parent technology.  

Implementation

#1. Scrumban Board Development

First, you must create a board for the Scrumban method that will include the project workflows. While the board should accommodate all the phases of a project’s progress, make sure not to make it cluttered.

#2. Set Realistic Limit

You need to set a realistic limit to the number of cards on the board to prevent your team from becoming overwhelmed.

#3. Prioritize the Projects

In this methodology, you must sort the projects based on their priority. Let the team members decide who wants to execute which task.

#4. Schedule Daily Meetings

For the Scrumban methodology, you need to plan short standups to discuss the team’s plans. These meetings should also include your colleagues’ challenges and ways to overcome them. Thus, you can encourage team bonding and spontaneous interaction.

Resources

So far, you have gone through the foundation-level knowledge of Scrumban. To become an expert project manager who can implement Scrumban confidently, check out these learning resources:  

What Is Scrumban?

If you are new to Scrumban and want to gather basic knowledge on the subject, check out the above Youtube video.

Here, the host explains the topic easily so you can understand it without prior exposure. This video lets you learn whether this methodology is suitable for you and your team. 

Scrumban: OnlinePMCourses

This video is a free resource to learn the basics of Scrumban. If you have no clue about the topic but want to know about it before opting for a detailed training or course, this short video will be highly helpful.

From this Complete Kanban course, you will learn about the Scrumban method and more about Kanban, Scrum, GTD, and leadership. This practice-based course deals with real scenarios to get a solid foundation. 

Since the main focus of this course is Kanban, it will teach you how to optimize any workflow, regardless of your organization and expertise level. Moreover, participants can also learn practically about two other agile approaches: Scrum and Scrumban. 

As a result, they will know the best approaches to apply all three methodologies together to more value delivery to the customers. Also, they will be able to master a free and popular online system for Kanban method implementation. 

After completing this course, you will have expertise in a subject that less than 5% of professionals have mastered. Consequentially, you will be more recognized and paid in your company.

Strategic Project Management: Udemy

If you want to be a leader and manage your projects strategically with Scrumban methodology, you should go for this Strategic project management course. This course is designed particularly for project managers who want to learn new methodologies.

It discusses various strategic tools needed in an agile framework, such as SWOT analysis, growth-share matrix, balanced scorecard, and maturity model.

Furthermore, the participants will learn to analyze new situations and perform lean management, total quality management, and value stream mapping. This will also teach you how to establish an enterprise project management office and develop reports with earned value management.

The course material includes 4 hours of on-demand video and 29 downloadable resources.

After the course completion, you will not have any trouble explaining complex strategies to your colleagues or leaders, and that too using practical approaches.

The Scrumban [R]Evolution

Do you aspire to manage high-performing teams that follow the Scrumban methodology? The book on Scrumban [R]Evolution is a definitive guide to Scrumban.

The resource discusses the methodology’s definition, its importance, and how organizations can use it for maximum performance and proficiency.

This practical and coherent book allows you to apply proven Lean/Agile principles to achieve bottom-line results. The author clarifies the core concepts and principles of Scrumban by presenting their application through real-life examples.

No matter your role in your organization, you can implement the learning resources to face your unique challenges and resolve potential problems.

Moreover, you can use this technique to manage the stakeholders’ expectations. With the increasing experience, participants will also be capable of utilizing the advanced functionalities of Scrumban. 

Scrumban: Essays on Kanban Systems for Lean Software Development 

This book is a collection of essays on the Kanban method and lean software development. It has successfully captured the imagination or the thought process that goes on in the world of software development. 

By implementing scrum and agile methodologies, development teams can become more efficient and organized. However, including lean methodology like Kanban can add to their benefits. This book teaches you how to do that with ease.

From this resource, you can learn the popular metrics and management techniques needed to achieve continuous improvement in real-world environments. 

The essays in this book provide background knowledge so you can create a list of best practices for your team combining agile and lean. The book also introduces you to a robust approach to process improvement opportunities identification. 

IBQMI Certified Scrumban Practitioner

Are you preparing to become an IBQMI Certified Scrumban Practitioner and help people change how they develop and deliver values? If yes, this book with the same title can help with that. 

From this book, readers can learn how Scrumban can offer them an edge over Scrum or Kanban methods. Also, it teaches you how to consider organizational culture while implementing this method. 

You can understand the vitality of flow and transparency in any Agile framework by reading this book. Moreover, it tells you how to implement additional Kanban practices into an existing Scrum environment without making any changes.

All in all, it prepares you for the exam to that you can earn this exclusive and protected job title. After becoming this professional practitioner, you can assist teams in adopting agile methodologies and improve how they can implement that. 

Wrapping Up

Now, you can go creative and experiment with Scrum and Kanban by trying the Scrumban methodology. You will enjoy the benefits of predictable routines and structured work culture from scrum and flexible project task arrangements from Kanban. 

Can’t wait to try it out in your DevOps team? Get started as guided above in this article. If you need more help, try the resources too.     

You may also be interested in these eye-catching comparison chart tools to help your project team with decision-making.