Choosing the right framework

Selecting between Scrum, Kanban, or hybrid approaches involves matching the framework to your team's context, culture, and challenges. No single framework works optimally in all situations. Scrum provides a clear structure beneficial for teams new to agile or requiring significant cross-functional coordination. Its defined roles and ceremonies create guardrails that prevent common problems. Consider Scrum when building new products, working with stable teams, or needing regular synchronization points with stakeholders. Kanban offers flexibility and incremental adoption that works well for operational teams or those handling varied work types with different urgencies. Its focus on flow optimization suits support teams, maintenance work, or contexts where interruptions are frequent. Kanban also provides an easier transition for teams resistant to dramatic process changes.

For UX work specifically, Kanban often accommodates research and design activities more naturally than Scrum's fixed iterations. However, designers working directly with Scrum development teams might align their work to Sprint cadences while using Kanban to visualize their specific workflow states. The most successful implementations focus on principles over practices, adapting frameworks to fit the team rather than forcing teams to fit frameworks.