Core Distinctions
 

Aspect Pure KANBAN ScrumBan (Hybrid)
Timeboxes No fixed iterations (continuous flow) Sprints (typically 1-2 weeks)
Planning On-demand (when capacity opens) Sprint planning at start of each iteration
Roles No prescribed roles Retains Scrum roles (PO, SM, Team)
Commitments No commitment to deliverables Sprint goals/commitments
Meetings Optional (stand-ups, retro) Mandatory ceremonies (planning, review, retro)
Metrics Cycle time, throughput Velocity + KANBAN metrics
Change During Iteration Anytime (just adjust WIP) Minimal changes during sprint

How ScrumBan Changes the web Development Process

1. Sprint Planning (New Addition)
Week 1: Sprint Planning
- PO presents prioritized backlog
- Team commits to X features for 2-week sprint
- Tasks moved from "Backlog" → "Sprint Backlog"

 

2. Modified Board Structure

[Product Backlog] → [Sprint Backlog] → [To Do] → [In Progress] → [Review] → [Done]
       ↑                                   ↑
    Long-term             Committed for
     items                       this sprint

3. Ceremonies Schedule
Monday: Sprint Planning (2 hrs)
Daily: 15-min stand-up
Week 2 Friday: Sprint Review (1 hr) + Retrospective (1 hr)

Advantages of ScrumBan for Your Enterprise Platform

Why ScrumBan Might Be Better?

  1. Predictable Releases

    • Sprints = predictable feature delivery every 2 weeks

    • Better for stakeholder communication (demo every sprint)

  2. Focus & Commitment

    • Team commits to specific goals (reduces context switching)

    • "Sprint backlog" protects team from ad-hoc requests

  3. Better for Complex Projects

    • Your AI-driven platform likely has:

      • Interdependent features

      • Multiple teams (AI, frontend, backend)

      • Sprint planning helps coordinate

  4. Metrics Advantage

    • Velocity tracking (how much work per sprint)

    • Burn-down charts + Cycle time = better forecasting

When Pure KANBAN Is Better?

  • Maintenance-heavy projects (bugs, small fixes)

  • Highly unpredictable work (emergency changes)

  • Single team with continuous flow preference

Recommended ScrumBan Implementation

Phase 1: Foundation (Weeks 1-2)
SPRINT 0: Setup
- Goal: Infrastructure, KANBAN board, CI/CD
- No "features" – pure setup
- Retro: Adjust WIP limits, board columns

Phase 2: Development Sprints (Week 3+)

2-Week Sprint Cycle:
1. Planning: 
   - AI algorithm team + web app team sync
   - Commit to "Login system" + "Basic ML endpoint"

2. Daily Stand-up:
   - Focus: "What blocks my sprint commitment?"

3. Review:
   - Demo: Working login + ML API
   - Stakeholders provide feedback

4. Retrospective:
   - "Should WIP limits change?"
   - "How did sprint commitments work?"

Hybrid Workflow Example

Sprint Backlog (Committed)
- Feature: User Authentication [Story Points: 5]
  - Backend API (Go)
  - Frontend forms (React)
  - Database schema

KANBAN Flow WITHIN Sprint
Monday: Tasks move from Sprint Backlog → To Do
Tuesday: 2 devs pick up tasks (respect WIP limit of 3)
Friday: Retro adjusts WIP from 3 → 4 for next sprint

Critical Success Factors for ScrumBan

  1. WIP Limits Still Apply

    • Even in sprints, limit tasks in "In Progress"

    • Prevents sprint overcommitment

  2. Flexible Scope

    • If urgent AI bug appears:
      ✓ Add to current sprint (swap with lower priority)
      ✗ Don't just overload team

  3. Metrics Dashboard
    Track both:

    • Scrum: Velocity, sprint burndown

    • KANBAN: Cycle time, cumulative flow

Final Recommendation

Choose ScrumBan if:

  • You have multiple teams (AI, frontend, DevOps)

  • Need regular stakeholder demos (investors, clients)

  • Want predictable delivery cadence

  • Team is familiar with Scrum (easier transition)

Choose Pure KANBAN if:

  • Your AI research is unpredictable (hard to estimate)

  • You're in early prototyping phase (rapid changes)

  • Team is distributed/async (hard to coordinate sprints)

Suggested Starting Point

Start with ScrumBan for 3 sprints, then evaluate:
1. Are sprint commitments being met?
2. Is WIP limiting helping focus?
3. Are ceremonies valuable?

Adjust toward more KANBAN (if ceremonies feel heavy) 
or more Scrum (if need more structure).

Tool Recommendation

Use Jira (best for ScrumBan) or Azure DevOps:

  • Sprint planning features

  • WIP limits on boards

  • Burndown + cycle time reports

💡 About the Author:
Sana-Allah Kheiri, known as Sasan Ace, is the founder of Paratopic Technologies LLC and leads the company’s market research and software development in AI, cybersecurity, and digital freedom initiatives. Through his blog and technology campaigns, he advocates for the decentralization of digital rights in authoritarian-leaning environments. Refer to his LinkedIn for more insights.