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Scrum with Kanban Certification Authority offers specialized certification programs that integrate the principles of Scrum and Kanban, enhancing agile project management skills. This certification focuses on blending Scrum’s iterative approach with Kanban's workflow visualization to improve team efficiency and flexibility, making it ideal for professionals seeking to optimize agile processes and deliver high-quality results.

The Scrum with Kanban Certification Accreditation provides professionals with a unique blend of Scrum and Kanban methodologies, equipping them with the skills to optimize workflow and improve project efficiency.

One of the criteria for selecting an agile tool in terms of Kanban or Scrum can be the time required. One of these methodology works well when there is shortage of time in terms of deadlines; the other one works well in situations where more time is required to carry out tasks when a diminutive iteration cannot satisfy the work.

Testing should be carried out at all levels and processes as perpetual testing can only raise the level of quality in terms of software or a code.

Kanban processes can enable enhancement of the quality of software from its commencement till project delivery. The reason, as we know, is because of its focus on system thinking. Kanban restricts the capacity of tasks which can be found anywhere in the complete cycle of the work-in-progress limit. This can be advantageous too as total focus can be directed towards solitary work packages one at a time and ensuring thus the quality of the outcome. In situations entailing releases within a less time period, Kanban is a good choice as since total focus is given toward single tasks, rendering them ‘completed’ once they are done with. So, Kanban works fine in this type of scenario.

Good quality is what one can see with relation to the work right from the conception to the end. Understanding the requirements, design related with transitioning activities, development activities, testing and ending with releasing is how the Kanban workflow would contain right from the conceptual stage.

Project managers prefer Scrum better than Kanban. It is more oriented toward systems while Scrum has a close affinity with project managers and business stakeholders due to their presentation of processes and events. Both their workflows are alike, with the only exception of Scrum having their deadlines better demarcated.

Segregation of the quantity of work that would be possible to be done within a particular time frame is one of the advantages of using Scrum. Both approaches are more or less about effective change management in the sense that they are very much alike pertaining to learning curves, focus, progress and change.

Unlock the potential of Agile project management for business agility with our insightful article, "How Marketing as a Business Function Can Benefit from Scrum." Explore how Agile methodologies, such as Scrum, revolutionize marketing strategies by fostering adaptability, collaboration, and customer-centricity. Discover how Scrum empowers marketing teams to respond quickly to market changes, experiment with new ideas, and deliver value-driven campaigns that resonate with customers.

Scrum as an Agile methodology is currently most popular in IT development teams. However, that does not mean that it cannot be effectively used in other domains. In fact, as an Agile methodology of managing projects, it can be used wherever people work on projects on a regular basis. It can be used in a particular division of a company – like new product development in an automobile company, and can also be used in a particular function of a company – like marketing. This article will highlight how Scrum methods can be used very effectively to manage marketing projects.

Marketing as a function revolves around projects. Marketing professionals work on a variety of projects – ad campaigns, email campaigns, product prototyping, market research etc. More time is spent on projects rather than operational activities. Hence, Scrum can be especially beneficial for marketing teams.

Let’s say the marketing team is tasked with the project of launching a new car model. How can it use Scrum? Well, it actually is quite simple (one of the basic objectives of Scrum – to keep it simple). You start off with stating the project vision – launching the car in a defined area, say, the state of California. Then you need someone to spearhead the whole project – the Scrum Master. He/she will decide who all will be part of the Scrum team. These have to be people who will actually be doing the various tasks in the project and not the ones who simply have an interest in the project.

So now you have the people who will be working on the Scrum project. What next? The team needs to understand the customer requirements. These are defined in the form of User Stories. In our case, two of the user stories might be ‘I need to test drive the car before I buy it’ and ‘I need to know all its performance specifications’.

The User Stories are approved and entered into what is called the Prioritized Product Backlog. It is the master document which guides the team in the project. It contains the User Stories and the tasks which are required to fulfill the requirements for each of the user stories. So in our example, the first User Story about test drives will include tasks like ‘Decide number and variants of test cars needed’, ‘Brand the test cars’, ‘Create a test drive feedback form’, ‘Decide on the tasks to be performed by the salesperson before the test drive’, etc. It then decides on a Release Planning Schedule which lays out the schedule of shipping out completed deliverables to the customers. The team then estimates the time required for the various tasks. Based on the above, a collective decision is taken on which all tasks will be taken up in the first round – called Sprint in Scrum. A Sprint duration can vary from a week to a few weeks.

The team then works on completing the tasks in a particular Sprint. To ensure that things are on track, the Scrum team has a Daily Standup Meeting which is time-boxed to normally 15 minutes to half an hour, in which all the members stand around and discuss the status of the different tasks. Tasks are entered in post-it notes and stuck on to a whiteboard with 3 columns – ‘To be done’, ‘In Process’ and ‘Completed’.  As the team works on the tasks, the tasks from the first column to the third column. At the end of a Sprint, when the team has hopefully completed all the tasks, a Sprint Review Meeting takes place where the team discusses what went right and what are the improvement opportunities. At designated points in time as laid out in the Release Planning Schedule, the team ships out completed deliverables.

This process continues till all the deliverables and tasks are completed in the Scrum project. The high level of involvement and communication involved in the Daily Standup Meetings is the key to an effective implementation of Scrum. Thus, by following the above process, marketing teams can ensure speedy completion of projects with high quality outputs without getting bogged down by a lot of documentation and processes.

Note: The Scrum specific terms used in this article are as per the Guide to the Scrum Body of Knowledge (SBOKTM)

Unlock the potential of Agile project management for business agility with our insightful article, "How Marketing as a Business Function Can Benefit from Scrum." Explore how Agile methodologies, such as Scrum, revolutionize marketing strategies by fostering adaptability, collaboration, and customer-centricity. Discover how Scrum empowers marketing teams to respond quickly to market changes, experiment with new ideas, and deliver value-driven campaigns that resonate with customers.

Scrum as an Agile methodology is currently most popular in IT development teams. However, that does not mean that it cannot be effectively used in other domains. In fact, as an Agile methodology of managing projects, it can be used wherever people work on projects on a regular basis. It can be used in a particular division of a company – like new product development in an automobile company, and can also be used in a particular function of a company – like marketing. This article will highlight how Scrum methods can be used very effectively to manage marketing projects.

Marketing as a function revolves around projects. Marketing professionals work on a variety of projects – ad campaigns, email campaigns, product prototyping, market research etc. More time is spent on projects rather than operational activities. Hence, Scrum can be especially beneficial for marketing teams.

Let’s say the marketing team is tasked with the project of launching a new car model. How can it use Scrum? Well, it actually is quite simple (one of the basic objectives of Scrum – to keep it simple). You start off with stating the project vision – launching the car in a defined area, say, the state of California. Then you need someone to spearhead the whole project – the Scrum Master. He/she will decide who all will be part of the Scrum team. These have to be people who will actually be doing the various tasks in the project and not the ones who simply have an interest in the project.

So now you have the people who will be working on the Scrum project. What next? The team needs to understand the customer requirements. These are defined in the form of User Stories. In our case, two of the user stories might be ‘I need to test drive the car before I buy it’ and ‘I need to know all its performance specifications’.

The User Stories are approved and entered into what is called the Prioritized Product Backlog. It is the master document which guides the team in the project. It contains the User Stories and the tasks which are required to fulfill the requirements for each of the user stories. So in our example, the first User Story about test drives will include tasks like ‘Decide number and variants of test cars needed’, ‘Brand the test cars’, ‘Create a test drive feedback form’, ‘Decide on the tasks to be performed by the salesperson before the test drive’, etc. It then decides on a Release Planning Schedule which lays out the schedule of shipping out completed deliverables to the customers. The team then estimates the time required for the various tasks. Based on the above, a collective decision is taken on which all tasks will be taken up in the first round – called Sprint in Scrum. A Sprint duration can vary from a week to a few weeks.

The team then works on completing the tasks in a particular Sprint. To ensure that things are on track, the Scrum team has a Daily Standup Meeting which is time-boxed to normally 15 minutes to half an hour, in which all the members stand around and discuss the status of the different tasks. Tasks are entered in post-it notes and stuck on to a whiteboard with 3 columns – ‘To be done’, ‘In Process’ and ‘Completed’.  As the team works on the tasks, the tasks from the first column to the third column. At the end of a Sprint, when the team has hopefully completed all the tasks, a Sprint Review Meeting takes place where the team discusses what went right and what are the improvement opportunities. At designated points in time as laid out in the Release Planning Schedule, the team ships out completed deliverables.

This process continues till all the deliverables and tasks are completed in the Scrum project. The high level of involvement and communication involved in the Daily Standup Meetings is the key to an effective implementation of Scrum. Thus, by following the above process, marketing teams can ensure speedy completion of projects with high quality outputs without getting bogged down by a lot of documentation and processes.

Note: The Scrum specific terms used in this article are as per the Guide to the Scrum Body of Knowledge (SBOKTM)

Scrum and Kanban are two popular methodologies in the realm of agile project management, each offering distinct advantages to teams striving for efficiency and flexibility. Scrum emphasizes fixed-length iterations called sprints, where teams commit to delivering a set of features by the sprint's end, fostering a predictable cadence and focus on achieving specific goals. In contrast, Kanban operates on a continuous flow basis, visualizing work items on a board and limiting work in progress to enhance throughput and responsiveness to changing priorities. Together, the Scrum with Kanban community represents a dynamic blend of structured planning and adaptive execution, fostering collaboration and continuous improvement among teams seeking to optimize their workflow and deliver value effectively.

Scrum and Kanban are the offspring of the agile methodology. The two methods may have different approaches, but are both rooted in the agile philosophy of software development. Scrum is useful in projects in which there will be periodic releases and Kanban comes handy in projects in which there will be frequent releases. Scrum is most often used for projects related to product development. Kanban is a useful visual project management tool and is helpful for production support. Now, when both these processes are combined, we get an upgraded process known as Scrumban, which encompasses the best practices of Scrum and Kanban. Scrumban is an enhanced and improved Scrum process.

Before we discuss how Scrum and Kanban are integrated in the Scrumban process, will have a quick look at some of the salient features of scrum and Kanban.
Implementing Scrum means:

• Breaking the entire organization into cross-functional several teams.
• Breaking down the entire project into small chunks of well-defined deliverables.
• Listing the chunks in terms of priority and estimating the amount of work required to complete each one of them.
• Splitting time into short periods (iterations) where market-ready code is presented.
• Working on the release plan based on the review and feedback after the iteration.
• Enhancing the process with the help of retrospection after the iteration.

Speaking of the workflow in scrum, the team plans and decides on the work that it will be completed in the upcoming sprint. Once decided, the sprint activities are finalized and are finished within the sprint duration, clearing the queue.

Now we will look at the features of Kanban:

• Breaking down work into items, writing each item on a card and then sticking it on a wall.
• Using designated columns to show the placement of each item in the workflow.
• Limiting the work in progress by allocating clear limits on the number of items that may be in progress at each workflow level.
• Measuring the time needed to complete an item and trying to the lead time as predictable as possible.

When it comes to the Kanban workflow, the limit on work in progress enables the team to change items in queues whenever it is needed. There’s no clearing the queue, and there is a continuous flow of work.

How are Scrum and Kanban integrated as Scrumban?

As a process, Scrumban employs the scrum principles. But along with it, it integrates Kanban tools for process improvement. Despite being used in different kinds of projects, the mechanics of Scrum and Kanban are compatible with each other. The addition of WIP limit and visual workflow to Scrum ensures that the process undergoes continuous improvement. The whole idea of planning in Scrumban is to fill vacant slots—if there is no item in a slot, then the vacancy will be filled with iteration planning. This results in decreasing the overhead of iteration planning. In a nutshell, Scrumban is Scrum in practice and Kanban in culture.

Integrating the two agile processes leads to several advantages in terms of quality, just-in-time delivery, short lead time, continuous improvement (also known as Kaizen in Kanban terminology), reducing waste and overall process improvement.

Though Scrumban is a relatively new approach in agile, it is gaining quite a lot of popularity and attention from industries that have to cater to both development and maintenance work.
Here are some areas where Scrumban can be implanted in order to achieve success:

• Projects related to maintenance
• Projects that require event -driven work
• Projects that are prone to programming errors
• Teams created to mainly work on developing new products

Scrum with Kanban best practices combine the strengths of both methodologies to optimize Agile project management. Key practices include visualizing workflow using Kanban boards to track tasks and identify bottlenecks, while adhering to Scrum's time-boxed iterations for planning and review. Utilizing WIP limits in Kanban ensures teams maintain focus and manage work-in-progress effectively, enhancing productivity and flow. Regular retrospectives enable teams to reflect on their process and implement continuous improvements.

One of the criteria for deciding between the Kanban or Scrum Agile frameworks can be the time required. One of these works well when there is shortage of time in terms of deadlines; the other one works well in situations where more time is required to carry out tasks, when a diminutive iteration cannot satisfy the work. Testing should be carried out at all levels and processes such as perpetual testing raise the level of quality in terms of software, code or other product.

Kanban processes can enable enhancement of the quality of software from its commencement till project delivery. The reason, as we know, is because of its focus on system thinking. Kanban restricts the capacity of tasks which can be found anywhere in the complete cycle of the work-in-progress limit. This can be advantageous too as total focus can be directed towards solitary work packages one at a time thus ensuring the quality of the outcome. In situations entailing releases within a short time period, Kanban is a good choice as since total focus is given toward single tasks, rendering them ‘completed’ once they are finished. So, Kanban works fine in this type of scenario.

Good quality is what one can see with relation to the work right from the conception to the end. Understanding the requirements, design related with transitioning activities, development activities, testing and releasing is how the Kanban workflow operates right from the conceptual stage.

Project managers often prefer Scrum more than Kanban. Scrum has a close affinity with project managers and business stakeholders due to its presentation of processes and events. The workflows in both frameworks are alike, with the only exception being that Scrum has better demarcated deadlines.

Segregation of the quantity of work that would be possible to be done within a particular time frame is one of the advantages of using Scrum.

Both approaches provide more or less effective change management in the sense that they have similar learning curves, focus, progress and change.

A Scrum with Kanban event combines elements of both Scrum and Kanban methodologies to facilitate efficient Agile practices within teams. These events, such as Sprint Planning or Daily Standups, integrate Scrum's structured approach with Kanban's emphasis on visualizing work and managing flow. They provide opportunities for teams to plan and prioritize tasks collaboratively, track progress i

Scrum with Kanban Program integrates the structured approach of Scrum with the flow-based principles of Kanban. This hybrid methodology allows teams to maintain Scrum's iterative framework while optimizing workflow and reducing bottlenecks through Kanban's visual management techniques. By combining these methodologies, teams can enhance flexibility, improve continuous delivery, and achieve greater efficiency in handling complex projects. This approach ensures a balanced and adaptive system, fostering continuous improvement and streamlined processes.

Scrum and Kanban have evolved from the agile methodology, each offering distinct approaches while remaining firmly rooted in agile software development principles. Scrum is particularly effective for projects with periodic releases, whereas Kanban shines in environments requiring frequent releases. Typically, Scrum is favored for product development projects, while Kanban serves as a valuable visual management tool, especially in production support scenarios. Combining the strengths of both methodologies results in Scrumban, an upgraded process that integrates the best practices of Scrum and Kanban. Scrumban represents an enhanced and refined approach to agile software development.

Before we discuss how Scrum and Kanban are integrated in the Scrumban process, will have a quick look at some of the salient features of scrum and Kanban.
Implementing Scrum means:

• Breaking the entire organization into cross-functional several teams.
• Breaking down the entire project into small chunks of well-defined deliverables.
• Listing the chunks in terms of priority and estimating the amount of work required to complete each one of them.
• Splitting time into short periods (iterations) where market-ready code is presented.
• Working on the release plan based on the review and feedback after the iteration.
• Enhancing the process with the help of retrospection after the iteration.

Speaking of the workflow in scrum, the team plans and decides on the work that it will be completed in the upcoming sprint. Once decided, the sprint activities are finalized and are finished within the sprint duration, clearing the queue.

Now we will look at the features of Kanban:

• Breaking down work into items, writing each item on a card and then sticking it on a wall.
• Using designated columns to show the placement of each item in the workflow.
• Limiting the work in progress by allocating clear limits on the number of items that may be in progress at each workflow level.
• Measuring the time needed to complete an item and trying to the lead time as predictable as possible.

When it comes to the Kanban workflow, the limit on work in progress enables the team to change items in queues whenever it is needed. There’s no clearing the queue, and there is a continuous flow of work.

How are Scrum and Kanban integrated as Scrumban?

Scrumban blends the principles of Scrum with the tools of Kanban for enhanced process efficiency. While originally rooted in different methodologies, the mechanics of Scrum and Kanban seamlessly complement each other. By incorporating concepts like Work In Progress (WIP) limits and visual workflows, Scrumban facilitates continuous process enhancement. Unlike traditional Scrum, where iteration planning fills predetermined slots, Scrumban adapts by filling vacant slots with iteration planning as needed, reducing the overhead of planning sessions. Essentially, Scrumban embodies the practicality of Scrum with the cultural ethos of Kanban.

Integrating the two agile processes leads to several advantages in terms of quality, just-in-time delivery, short lead time, continuous improvement (also known as Kaizen in Kanban terminology), reducing waste and overall process improvement.

Though Scrumban is a relatively new approach in agile, it is gaining quite a lot of popularity and attention from industries that have to cater to both development and maintenance work.
Here are some areas where Scrumban can be implanted in order to achieve success:

• Projects related to maintenance
• Projects that require event -driven work
• Projects that are prone to programming errors
• Teams created to mainly work on developing new products

Certified Scrum for Operations & DevOps integrates agile methodologies into the operations and development processes, aiming to enhance efficiency, collaboration, and continuous improvement. This approach emphasizes iterative progress, regular feedback, and cross-functional team dynamics, aligning with current trends towards automation, CI/CD pipelines, and cloud-native environments. By fostering a culture of agility and responsiveness, organizations can better manage the complexities of modern IT infrastructures, accelerate delivery cycles, and improve overall service quality. The certification ensures that professionals are equipped with the skills and knowledge to effectively implement Scrum principles in operational and DevOps contexts, driving innovation and operational excellence.

SCRUMstudy offers comprehensive guidelines for utilizing Scrum for Operations and DevOps processes, emphasizing agility and continuous improvement. By integrating Scrum principles, organizations can streamline their operations and enhance collaboration between development and operations teams. This approach promotes iterative progress, flexibility, and rapid response to changes, ultimately leading to more efficient and effective workflows. SCRUMstudy's framework helps teams adopt best practices, ensuring seamless integration, increased productivity, and higher quality outcomes in Operations and DevOps environments.

Extending Scrum to operations and DevOps enables organizations to strive for continuous improvement and innovation, ultimately improving their capacity to meet market demands and deliver customer value. In this era of rapid software deployment and continuous integration, the convergence of development and operations teams within an organization, commonly referred to as DevOps, has gained prominence.

To effectively manage this convergence, many organizations are turning to agile frameworks for a solution. The Scrum/Agile framework, with its iterative, collaborative, and customer-focused approach, is a comprehensive solution that addresses the challenges being faced by this integration.

Scrum for Operations and DevOps combined are relevant to professionals who are keen on fostering a culture of continuous improvement, enhancing collaboration, and achieving faster delivery cycles.

Many organizations have opted to combine Dev and Ops functions, aka DevOps, to integrate development and operational support activities while leveraging an Agile/Scrum framework. 

Scrum training is instrumental in equipping professionals with the skills and knowledge necessary to implement Agile practices effectively. Integrating Lean methodologies into Scrum training enhances this learning experience by emphasizing value maximization and waste minimization. Lean principles focus on delivering high-quality products efficiently by streamlining processes and eliminating non-value-added activities. By combining Scrum’s iterative approach with Lean’s efficiency-driven strategies, practitioners can foster a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and innovation. This powerful synergy not only accelerates project delivery but also ensures sustainable, high-performance outcomes, making Scrum training with Lean methodologies an essential component for modern project management success.

SCRUMstudy and its Authorized Training Partners offer Scrum training programs that provide immersive learning experiences designed to equip participants with a deep understanding of Scrum principles and practices. These programs, facilitated by experienced Scrum trainers, incorporate hands-on activities and real-world scenarios to reinforce theoretical knowledge. Participants engage in interactive sessions, collaborative exercises, and case studies, allowing them to apply Scrum concepts in a practical setting. Ideal for individuals seeking Scrum certification, these training programs provide the comprehensive knowledge and skills needed to excel in Scrum roles and contribute effectively to Agile project teams.

Scrum for Operations & DevOps integrates the iterative, collaborative nature of Scrum with the continuous delivery and automation focus of DevOps, enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of IT operations and software development. By adopting Scrum, operations teams can manage and prioritize their work in short, manageable sprints, fostering continuous improvement and quick adaptation to change.

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, continuous integration and quick software deployment have become essential. To meet these demands, the convergence of development and operations, commonly referred to as DevOps, has gained prominence. The Scrum for Operations and DevOps certification, provided by SCRUMstudy, extends Scrum principles to streamline Business & IT Operations and DevOps practices.

Why Extend Scrum to Operations and DevOps?

Scrum/Agile frameworks, known for their iterative and collaborative approach, offer a comprehensive solution to the challenges faced by integrated development and operational teams. Here are the key benefits:

Continuous Improvement: By fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, Scrum/Agile frameworks extend beyond development, enhancing overall organizational efficiency.

Market Responsiveness: Scrum’s iterative practices increase an organization’s capacity to meet market demands and deliver superior customer value.

Comprehensive Solution: Scrum optimizes not just product development and project delivery but also improves Business & IT operations and DevOps practices.

Certification Hierarchy and Audience

The certification hierarchy under SCRUMstudy starts from an introductory course like Scrum for Operations and DevOps Fundamentals Certified (SODFC) to advanced certifications like Scrum for Operations & DevOps Expert Certified (SODEC).

This certification is ideal for:

DevOps team members

Project managers and leaders

DevOps engineers, release managers, automation architects

Integration specialists

CTOs, CIOs, IT, operations, and development heads

Agile coaches and consultants etc

The program offers detailed insights into extending Scrum principles to operations and DevOps, optimizing workflow, enhancing quality, and aligning business goals with organizational capabilities. Participants will learn to set up organizations for Ops and DevOps, manage shared resources, and ensure smooth coordination between development and operational teams.

The Scrum for Operations & DevOps techniques focus on integrating Scrum principles into IT operations and DevOps environments to enhance agility and efficiency. This certification covers essential practices such as continuous integration, continuous delivery, and infrastructure as code, ensuring seamless collaboration between development and operations teams. By leveraging these techniques, organizations can achieve faster deployment cycles, improved system reliability, and better alignment with business goals.

Scrum with Kanban best practices combine the strengths of both methodologies to optimize Agile project management. Key practices include visualizing workflow using Kanban boards to track tasks and identify bottlenecks, while adhering to Scrum's time-boxed iterations for planning and review. Utilizing WIP limits in Kanban ensures teams maintain focus and manage work-in-progress effectively, enhancing productivity and flow. Regular retrospectives enable teams to reflect on their process and implement continuous improvements.

One of the criteria for deciding between the Kanban or Scrum Agile frameworks can be the time required. One of these works well when there is shortage of time in terms of deadlines; the other one works well in situations where more time is required to carry out tasks, when a diminutive iteration cannot satisfy the work. Testing should be carried out at all levels and processes such as perpetual testing raise the level of quality in terms of software, code or other product.

Kanban processes can enable enhancement of the quality of software from its commencement till project delivery. The reason, as we know, is because of its focus on system thinking. Kanban restricts the capacity of tasks which can be found anywhere in the complete cycle of the work-in-progress limit. This can be advantageous too as total focus can be directed towards solitary work packages one at a time thus ensuring the quality of the outcome. In situations entailing releases within a short time period, Kanban is a good choice as since total focus is given toward single tasks, rendering them ‘completed’ once they are finished. So, Kanban works fine in this type of scenario.

Good quality is what one can see with relation to the work right from the conception to the end. Understanding the requirements, design related with transitioning activities, development activities, testing and releasing is how the Kanban workflow operates right from the conceptual stage.

Project managers often prefer Scrum more than Kanban. Scrum has a close affinity with project managers and business stakeholders due to its presentation of processes and events. The workflows in both frameworks are alike, with the only exception being that Scrum has better demarcated deadlines.

Segregation of the quantity of work that would be possible to be done within a particular time frame is one of the advantages of using Scrum.

Both approaches provide more or less effective change management in the sense that they have similar learning curves, focus, progress and change.