Differences Between Kanban and Scrum

Kanban and Scrum are often compared when choosing the right approach for project delivery. The two are sometimes confused, but while they share similar principles, they are implemented very differently.

Time

• Scrum — Work is organized in short, timeboxed iterations called Sprints. Each Sprint has a clearly defined goal.

• Kanban — Work follows a continuous flow, similar to a production line, without fixed-length iterations.

Metrics

• Scrum metrics typically include:

  • Number of completed tasks within a Sprint.

  • Percentage of completed tasks relative to the Product Backlog.

  • Total Story Points delivered during the Sprint.

• Kanban metrics focus on flow:

  • Throughput — the number of tasks completed in a given time frame (day, week, or month).

  • Lead Time — the total time it takes for a task to move from “in progress” to “done.” In other words, how long it takes for a card to move across the Kanban board from left to right.

Fundamental Differences

• Scrum is a framework — it prescribes a structured set of roles, events, and rules that define how work should be organized.

• Kanban is a method — a flexible set of tools and practices that teams can adapt to build their workflows.

A Kanban team is not required to follow specific cadences or all standard practices. Instead, teams can experiment and even adopt certain Scrum practices if useful for their context.