Comparing Agile Project Management Frameworks

Agile methodology started gaining popularity around 2014-15. It was initially designed for projects that required speed, agility & flexibility. It breaks down delivery cycles into short, iterative bursts, known as Sprints. Agile is highly interactive, and it allows rapid adjustments throughout a project. Agile offers repeatable processes, lesser risks, allows for immediate feedback, provides fast turnaround, and reduces complexity.

This article covers the key considerations and vital assessment criteria when choosing a methodology out of multiple Agile frameworks or methodology. Now let's have a closer look at the three most popular Agile Frameworks and their comparison, which can help all of you make the right decision for your project.

Comparison of Scrum, Lean & Kanban:

CRITERIA	SCRUM	LEAN	KANBAN
Definition	To expedite the higher quality products, recurring and predefined rules, roles, and processes are being used	To reduce waste and to increase learning and integrity, the manufacturing and technology principles are being used	It is a visual framework used for continuous improvements, and it involves the visual workflow to limit work in progress and match requirements.
Industries	Initially, it applied to software development, but now it's been applied to many other industries	Initially applied to the manufacturing industry but now it has been applied to many other industries	Initially applied to manufacturing supply chain process, but now many other industries are using it.
Primary Focus	The primary focus is to expedite product turnaround and to improve the quality	The primary focus is to eliminate waste, learning, Process integrity, and system improvements	The primary focus is always on tasks and process improvements.
Need to determine by push or pull system	Based on the Customer pull system. Customer pulls when there is need exists.	Based on the customer pull system. Customer pulls when there the need exists.	Based on the customer pull system. Customer pulls when there the need exists.
Prioritizing work & WIP (Work in progress)	Scrum framework uses Product Backlog to determine and prioritize the future work in progress	When a customer need is determined, then the Work in Progress prioritization is triggered.	Work in progress is matched to the team's ability to deliver the product.
Collaboration	Scrum required a highly self-organized team	Lean required advanced processes and detailed team collaboration	Kanban required minimal management oversight and highly self-organized teams
Development Process	Scrum uses formal sprints with specific roles assigned.	Lean uses formal processes and team roles	Kanban doesn't require any formal Sprints or roles
Flexibility	Scrum is more formal and less flexible	Lean is the more precise process	Kanban is highly flexible
Timelines	Each Sprint duration is of 2-4 weeks of Sprint	There are no specific timelines, but the process should be streamlined	Work is broken down and displayed visually, but there are no timelines.
Meetings	Limited to 15 minutes per day	Prompt meeting and required as in when the issues crop up	Meetings are as in when required.
Changes to the requirements	During the Sprint progress, changes to the requirements are usually avoided	Changes are usually identified and resolved when they arise within the process	Throughout the process, the changes are allowed
Roles	Roles played a vital role and are the only key to success	Teamwork closely together and are aligned based on the common goals	There are no specific roles defined
Success Measures	Success measures depend on improved quality and speed of the delivery	Success measures are based on the fast turnaround and depend on the use of Just-in-time flow	Success measures depend on the process duration

Available Options

It is always necessary to remember that all these Agile frameworks can be combined to provide hybrid solutions. The combination of the best of two frameworks always increases the chances of success. Here I proposed some of the framework integrations that can help anyone ensure successful delivery, depending on their organization culture and other external factors.

Scrumban

This integration or combination uses Scrum as a method to do the actual work, whereas it uses the flexibility of Kanban to seek and gain in the way of continuous improvements.

Leanban

This integration or combination uses Lean as a way to combine the components of Kanban and Scrum framework to deliver the most sustainable values within a short span of time.

Source: novelvista.com