{"id":1297,"date":"2024-02-09T15:42:49","date_gmt":"2024-02-09T15:42:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/titanapps.io\/blog?p=1297"},"modified":"2025-08-12T09:38:03","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T09:38:03","slug":"jira-kanban-scrum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/titanapps.io\/blog\/jira-kanban-scrum","title":{"rendered":"Scrum VS Kanban Boards In Jira"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Scrum and Kanban have certain similarities. Both are transparent, break down work, limit WIP (albeit differently), and focus on delivering releasable products early. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In practice, however, they are quite distinct from one another. The differences between the two approaches are reflected in the software and tools that support these development frameworks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main differences between Kanban and Scrum <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a closer look at what sets these two prominent work management frameworks apart from one another. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please note, these are not the only defining factors of the methodologies. I am consciously limiting the differences to the context of using Scrum and Kanban in Jira. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iterations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Scrum<\/strong> works in time-boxed iterations or Sprints<\/a>. Every Sprint has a goal, a beginning, and an end. The team will deliver an increment or, according to the Scrum Guide<\/a>, a stepping stone towards the <\/em>Product Goal<\/em><\/a>. In simpler terms, you will have a \u201cDone\u201d, useable, and potentially releasable product at the end of every Sprint. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kanban<\/strong>, on the other hand, avoids forcing things into time-boxes. It supports a continuous flow of work where the tasks are moved to \u201cDone\u201d when they are completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Push VS Pull<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Push-Pull strategy has several definitions. However, the basic gist is that Pull systems initiate development as a reaction to current demand, while Push systems trigger development independently or with anticipation of future demand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By this definition, Kanban<\/strong> is a purely Pull system. The philosophy behind the framework allows team members to pull their next task from the backlog or the \u201cTo Do\u201d column on the board once they have completed the previous work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scrum<\/strong> can look like a Pull system on the surface as the team is \u201cpulling\u201d the tasks from the backlog into the Sprint, the fact that you plan Sprints in advance based on an estimation of productivity per a set time frame makes it a Push system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Estimations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Estimations are an integral part of the Scrum<\/strong> framework. The items in the backlog are continuously refined. The backlog refinement<\/a> sessions take place in set intervals of time, usually in the middle of an active Sprint. Product Owners, Product Managers, and the team review and prioritize tasks during this session. User Story estimations are used to predict the effort that will be required to complete the work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kanban<\/strong> does not require estimations. Some teams still prefer to estimate tasks. However, the methodology itself is primarily reliant on flow metrics<\/a> like WIP, Cycle Time, and Throughput for predicting deliverability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which board is best for your project?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u201cAssume the Cow is a Sphere\u2026\u201d – An old physics joke<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The spherical cow is a humorous metaphor for highly simplified scientific models of complex phenomena. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This metaphor can go way beyond physics, however. Trying to guess which methodology will fit with your project, management style, and culture is – in essence – assuming a cow is a sphere for the sake of simplicity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, the iterative nature of Scrum is highly reliant on accurate, proactive planning and typically fits projects that demand quick delivery and are greatly impacted by feedback. Startups, early-stage product development, or development of an MVP usually fall into this category. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, having time-boxed iterations can be extremely stressful for teams who have yet to develop good engineering practices and finetune continuous integration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same can be said about Kanban. By nature, this approach seems like a perfect fit for ongoing processes where operations are done one by one based on priority. Several prominent examples may include support teams, HR, marketing, procurement, operations, and software products in support mode.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The process may seem much less stressful than a time-boxed Sprint. At least on paper. In reality, however, Kanban requires much more upfront management. Your team needs to develop functional way-of-working policies that help everyone deal with various situations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, everyone on the team needs to know what to do when a new ticket appears in the ToDo column while everyone is at their WIP limit. Every team member needs to know when to \u201cpull\u201d.  Everyone should be on the same page regarding the Definition of Done<\/a>, Definition of Ready, Due Dates at Risk, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You know your team better than anyone, and thus, ultimately, the decision between Scrum and Kanban is up to you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, I\u2019d advise relying on Scrum in cases when you work in iterations and rely on continuous feedback. This is very typical for Startups or young products. Kanban, on the other hand, is best suited for continuous ongoing work like company operations, product marketing, or product support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do Scrum and Kanban projects differ in Jira?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The most on-the-nose differentiator between Scrum and Kanban projects in Jira is probably the backlog functionality. However, there are many other ways in which the different project templates support their respective methodologies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Backlog<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While you can add a Product Backlog in a Kanban board from the board settings<\/a>, it probably will not serve any practical function other than to keep the list of all the tasks from the board. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The backlog functionality in a Scrum project is a different beast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For starters, you have not one but two (and potentially more) backlogs. One is the Product Backlog, and the other is the Sprint backlog. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n