Scrum vs Kanban? Which Method Did Spotify and Toyota Use to Revolutionize Their Production Process?

Scrum and Kanban are both Agile methodologies that help teams deliver projects more efficiently. However, they differ in their approach to project management. Scrum is a more structured approach that uses time-bound sprints to complete work, while Kanban is a more flexible approach that focuses on continuous delivery.

Here are some of the key differences between the two methodologies:

1. Sprint Planning Meeting: In Scrum, teams hold a sprint planning meeting at the beginning of each sprint to discuss the features that need to be completed and create tickets in project management software. Kanban does not use sprints, so there is no need for a sprint planning meeting.

2. Use of Tickets: In Scrum, teams use tickets to track their progress during the sprint. They typically have a two-week sprint and move tickets from the sprint backlog to "in progress" to "done" within that timeframe. Kanban uses a backlog to track work items and does not have a prescribed timeframe for completion.

3. Standup Meetings: In Scrum, teams hold daily standup meetings to discuss what they worked on yesterday, what they are working on today, and any roadblocks they are facing. Kanban does not prescribe any specific meeting types.

4. Retrospective Meeting: In Scrum, teams hold a retrospective meeting at the end of each sprint to discuss what went well, what didn't go well, and any questions or concerns they have. Kanban does not have a prescribed retrospective meeting.

Items in Progress: In Kanban, only a certain number of items can be in progress at any given time, depending on the team's capacity. In Scrum, all items in the sprint backlog are considered "in progress."

Best for Teams: Kanban is best suited for teams that don't deal with the estimation and moving tasks through the same steps, such as IT operations or support teams. Scrum is best suited for teams that work in sprints and have a more defined set of deliverables.

Real-World Examples of Scrum and Kanban

Many companies use Scrum and Kanban methodologies to manage their projects. Let's take a look at two real-world examples of companies that use these methodologies.

Scrum Example: Spotify

Spotify is a music streaming company that uses Scrum to manage its projects. The company has multiple teams working on different features, and each team works in a two-week sprint. During the sprint planning meeting, the team decides on the features they will work on and creates tickets in Jira, a project management software. They then use the tickets to track their progress during the sprint.

During the daily standup meetings, team members discuss what they worked on yesterday, what they are working on today, and any roadblocks they are facing. At the end of each sprint, the team holds a retrospective meeting to discuss what went well, what didn't go well, and any questions or concerns they have.

Kanban Example: Toyota

Toyota, a multinational automotive manufacturer, uses Kanban to manage its production processes. The company uses a visual board to track work items and ensure that production is flowing smoothly. The board has three columns: "to do," "in progress," and "done."

Each work item is represented by a card that moves from left moving from left to right across the board as it progresses through production to see at a glance which items are in progress and which items are ready to move to the next stage.

Conclusion

Both Scrum and Kanban are popular Agile methodologies that help teams deliver projects more efficiently. Scrum is more structured whereas Kanban is unstructured