"Scrumban" - Why do I prefer it?

“Scrum is easy to understand, but challenging to master…”

Developing self-organizing teams and implementing agile systems takes time for individuals to adjust. By providing coaching, fostering a safe environment, and embracing the principle of empiricism, you can speed up this adaptation process.

In my previous post, I mentioned that Scrumban (a blend of Scrum and Kanban) is my personal favorite approach. Why do I prefer it?

I value adaptability and collective learning throughout a project! As a product lead, it's essential to recognize what suits the team and the project's needs. If Scrum proves difficult for the team to grasp and implement, Scrumban offers a more accessible alternative.

I often utilise the Scrumban method when I want to capitalise on Kanban's visual elements and the value of WIP limits, while incorporating Scrum's daily stand-ups to review progress and assist team members. Additionally, when Scrum isn't functioning effectively, Scrumban can serve as a beneficial substitute.

Moreover, it’s not solely about team dynamics; the project's nature plays a significant role as well! For instance, if the requirements are ambiguous or if it's a long-term endeavor.

Now, let's break down the Scrumban approach:

🗒️Establish the Scrumban board: This includes the product backlog, sprint backlog, and a visual workflow for tasks (from to-do to in progress to done) that the team decides together.

🔐Set your work-in-progress (WIP) limits: The team determines the number of tasks allowed in the "In progress" category to prevent overwhelming the team. If they finish early, they can pull additional tasks from the product backlog into the sprint backlog.

📌Prioritise the team’s tasks on the board: As a lead, you order the product priorities, allowing the team to select which tasks to tackle and who will handle them. Consider prioritising product backlog items weekly for effective planning.

⏳No need for story point estimation: Estimating story points based on complexity, effort, time, and risks is unnecessary here since Scrumban is not time-bound.

📅Daily stand-ups: While Sprint meetings such as Sprint Planning, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective are not mandatory, daily check-ins to monitor progress and address blockers are crucial for achieving product goals.

It’s important to note that while Scrumban encourages independence, understanding your team's specific needs is vital to selecting the most suitable methodology.

You can read more about Scrumban her[e:

](https://lnkd.in/dW2c9es8)https://lnkd.in/dW2c9es8
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