What are the differences between Scrum and Kanban?

Kanban vs. Scrum

Scrum and Kanban are both iterative work systems that rely on process flows and aim to reduce waste. However, there are a few main differences between the two.

	Kanban	Scrum
Roles and Responsibilities	There are no pre-defined roles for a team. Although there may still be a Project Manager, the team is encouraged to collaborate and chip in when any one person becomes overwhelmed.	Each team member has a predefined role, where the Scrum master dictates timelines, Product owner defines goals and objectives and team members execute the work.
Due Dates / Delivery Timelines	Products and processes are delivered continuously on an as-needed basis (with due dates determined by the business as needed).	Deliverables are determined by sprints, or set periods of time in which a set of work must be completed and ready for review.
Delegation & Prioritization	Uses a “pull system,” or a systematic workflow that allows team members to only “pull” new tasks once the previous task is complete.	Also uses a “pull system” however an entire batch is pulled for each iteration.
Modifications / Changes	Allows for changes to be made to a project mid-stream, allowing for iterations and continuous improvement prior to the completion of a project.	Changes during the sprint are strongly discouraged.
Measurement of Productivity	Measures production using “cycle time,” or the amount of time it takes to complete one full piece of a project from beginning to end.	Measures production using velocity through sprints. Each sprint is laid out back-to-back and/or concurrently so that each additional sprint relies on the success of the one before it.
Best Applications	Best for projects with widely-varying priorities.	Best for teams with stable priorities that may not change as much over time.