YouTrack Server
 

Mix Scrum and Kanban

Last modified: 09 October 2024

Scrumban is a hybrid methodology that borrows elements from both Scrum and Kanban, hence the hybrid name. This board is configured to use sprints as they would be used for Scrum development, but these sprints are not scheduled.

The agile board that we use to manage the publication of the content that you're reading right now uses a mix of Scrum and Kanban frameworks. Here's what this scrumban board looks like in our YouTrack installation:

Scrumban board

There are a few reasons why this works for us:

  • The YouTrack developers use a Scrum framework to deliver updates on a continuous basis. However, the actual delivery of new functionality is typically scheduled for one of our quarterly releases. We use these release cycles as the time box for updating the documentation, so the sprints on this board include a collection of updates to be published for the release.

  • We only really know which features will be finished and delivered in the release after we see them in the sprint demo. This means that our backlog doesn't contain a predefined set of tasks. Instead, we create tasks directly on the board whenever a developer demonstrates a feature that requires changes to the documentation.

  • We manage the sprint backlog using a Kanban-style pull system. Whenever we're ready to work on something new, we just pull a card from the column for open tasks and start to work on the issue.

This type of board can be useful for any team that uses a hybrid agile framework.