IT Project Management Basics: Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, Kanban, and Their Combinations.

Introduction

The basis of IT project management is selecting the right approach and method. Yes, approach and method. Why this distinction? Many people confuse approach with method, claiming, for example, that Agile is a method. No, Agile is an approach, even a philosophy, emphasizing flexibility, iteration, and transparency, which can employ METHODS such as Scrum or Kanban. In this article, I aim to explain, in a clear manner for those with no prior knowledge, methods such as Kanban and Scrum and approaches like Agile and Waterfall. Additionally, I'll provide examples of combining these methods and approaches.

Kanban Method

Kanban is one of the most popular workflow management methods used across various industries. Its effectiveness relies on visualizing processes and workflow. Kanban utilizes Kanban boards as primary tools for visualizing workflow, where tasks appear as cards indicating the task status. For example, cards in the "To Do" column indicate tasks awaiting initiation, while "In Progress" means tasks are currently underway. Tools using such boards include ClickUp, Asana, and Trello.

Kanban is particularly useful when work is irregular or dynamic, allowing flexible adaptation to changing conditions. Unlike traditional methods like Waterfall, which assumes each project phase must finish before starting the next, Kanban allows continuous integration and delivery of business value efficiently and consistently. A key benefit of Kanban is quickly detecting workflow problems. Visualization helps swiftly identify causes of delays, enabling prompt responses. Kanban is also easy to implement, requiring minimal time and financial resources. It’s easily adjustable to individual project needs, making it universally adaptable. Teams employing Kanban can quickly identify workflow obstacles, enhancing productivity and reducing errors. Kanban excels in team projects requiring coordination, as team members can easily monitor each other's progress.

Scrum Method

Scrum focuses on transparency, enabling continuous progress monitoring and swift problem response. Scrum utilizes artifacts like sprints, product backlog, sprint backlog, burndown charts, and Definition of Done (acceptance criteria), facilitating work monitoring, task planning, and quality control. A crucial Scrum element is the team, comprising a Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Development Team. The Product Owner manages the backlog and prioritizes tasks. The Scrum Master ensures adherence to Scrum processes, removing obstacles.

The Development Team handles task execution and delivers business value. Development teams often include developers, UX/UI designers, DevOps engineers, and all project stakeholders. Scrum requires continuous adaptation to changing customer needs, organizing project work into short, time-boxed iterations (sprints) lasting typically 1-4 weeks, delivering valuable client results. Scrum suits projects with uncertain futures needing quick and effective adaptation.

Agile Approach

Agile promotes project management flexibility and agility, highlighting adaptability due to constant project changes. Agile emphasizes client collaboration and rapid response to changes instead of rigid plans. Agile prioritizes delivering regular, small yet significant business value pieces, allowing clients to verify progress frequently and swiftly make improvements. Iterative and incremental delivery is crucial in Agile, dividing projects into short phases (sprints) typically lasting 2-4 weeks. Each iteration delivers specific functionalities to the client, followed by retrospectives to evaluate and refine project approaches.

Agile fosters continuous improvement and learning from mistakes, following Agile Manifesto values like constant communication, small team collaboration, and quick project adaptation. Agile can be applied from small projects to complex systems.

Waterfall Approach

The Waterfall approach involves sequential project phases: requirements analysis, design, implementation, testing, and deployment. Each phase must conclude before moving to the next.

Initially, requirements are defined, followed by solution design, implementation, and testing. After successful testing, the project is deployed into production.

Waterfall offers clear and precise planning and coordination, beneficial when requirements remain stable.

However, Waterfall lacks flexibility, complicating adjustments to changing requirements or market conditions, potentially increasing project duration and costs compared to Agile’s iterative approach.

Organizations sometimes combine approaches, such as integrating Agile or Kanban elements into Waterfall, combining clarity and flexibility.

Now, let's discuss several combined approaches and methods.

Combining Approaches and Methods

Agile + Kanban combines flexibility with real-time progress visualization, useful in irregular projects needing constant adaptation.

Agile + Scrum combines Agile’s flexibility with Scrum’s clear structure, enabling swift value delivery and effective response to changing client requirements.

No single approach fits all situations. Hence, hybrid approaches combining various methods and approaches are increasingly popular.

Agile + Kanban + Scrum is a popular combination, enabling flexible project management while maintaining clear project structure.

Fire and Water – Unexpected Combination: Agile + Waterfall

Agile and Waterfall seem fundamentally different, yet their combination is possible through hybrid project approaches.

Hybrid project management leverages Agile’s iterative nature and Waterfall’s structured planning, dividing projects into iterative, agile phases.

Each project phase includes structured planning and documentation (Waterfall), combined with iterative reviews and adjustments (Agile).

Combining Agile and Waterfall creates tailored processes suited to specific client needs, utilizing strengths from both approaches.

Summary

Choosing the appropriate project management method depends on project characteristics, client requirements, and team preferences. Combining methods offers flexibility and efficient project management.

Kanban and Scrum visualize processes and provide flexible project management approaches.

Kanban employs boards for flexible workflow monitoring, while Scrum focuses on transparency and team-based value delivery.

Agile and Waterfall are prominent project management methodologies.

Waterfall’s sequential phases suit stable requirements but lack flexibility. Agile’s iterative approach enables continuous adaptation, delivering quick and frequent business value.