Scrum vs Kanban vs XP vs SAFe

Differences Between Agile Methodologies: Scrum, Kanban, XP, and SAFe

Agile is an umbrella term for various frameworks that promote iterative development, flexibility, and collaboration. While Scrum, Kanban, XP, and SAFe all follow Agile principles, they differ in structure, roles, and implementation.

1. Scrum

Best For: Teams working in fixed-length iterations (Sprints) with structured ceremonies and roles.

• Process: Work is done in Sprints (typically 1-4 weeks).

• Roles: Product Owner, Scrum Master, Development Team.

• Key Ceremonies: Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective.

• Work Management: Tasks are pulled from a prioritized Product Backlog and must be completed within a Sprint.

• Strengths: Clear structure, predictable delivery, strong collaboration.

• Challenges: Can be rigid; requires discipline and proper implementation.

2. Kanban

Best For: Teams needing continuous delivery and flexibility without time-boxed iterations.

• Process: Work is visualized on a Kanban board, and tasks move through stages (To-Do → In Progress → Done).

• Roles: No predefined roles; existing team structure remains.

• Key Practices: Work-in-Progress (WIP) limits, continuous flow, cycle time tracking.

• Work Management: No Sprints; work is pulled based on capacity.

• Strengths: Highly flexible, reduces bottlenecks, works well for maintenance/support teams.

• Challenges: Lack of time-boxing can lead to scope creep; less structured compared to Scrum.

3. Extreme Programming (XP)

Best For: Engineering teams focusing on high-quality software through continuous testing and collaboration.

• Process: Small, frequent releases with heavy emphasis on pair programming, test-driven development (TDD), and continuous feedback.

• Roles: No fixed roles, but developers work closely with customers and testers.

• Key Practices: Continuous integration (CI), refactoring, collective code ownership, TDD.

• Work Management: Tasks are prioritized, with a strong focus on engineering excellence.

• Strengths: High-quality code, fast feedback loops, strong engineering culture.

• Challenges: Requires disciplined engineering practices; not suitable for non-technical teams.

4. SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework)

Best For: Large organizations needing to scale Agile across multiple teams and departments.

• Process: Work is divided into Agile Release Trains (ARTs), aligning multiple teams toward a common goal.

• Roles: Product Owners, Scrum Masters, System Architects, Release Train Engineers.

• Key Ceremonies: PI (Program Increment) Planning, System Demos, Inspect & Adapt workshops.

• Work Management: Follows a combination of Scrum and Kanban but at an enterprise scale.

• Strengths: Helps large companies implement Agile effectively.

• Challenges: Complex; requires extensive coordination and training.
  
  

Each Agile methodology has its strengths:

• Scrum is ideal for structured development cycles.

• Kanban is best for continuous work and operational teams.

• XP is great for teams focusing on high-quality engineering practices.

• SAFe is for scaling Agile across large enterprises.

Key Differences at a Glance