Agile methods: Scrum and Kanban

In short: Agile methods organise software projects in short cycles with fast feedback instead of planning everything in advance. Scrum and Kanban are the best known.

In more detail: Scrum works in sprints of usually two weeks with fixed roles (product owner, scrum master, team) and meetings (planning, daily, review, retrospective). Kanban visualises tasks on a board (to do, in progress, done) and limits how many are in progress at the same time.

In Depth

• Agile manifesto (2001): individuals and interactions over processes, working software over documentation, customer collaboration over contracts, responding to change over a rigid plan.
• Backlog: ordered list of all tasks and wishes.
• User story: “As a user I want …, so that …”
• WIP limit: a limit on tasks in progress so things get finished.
• Waterfall: the counterpart: phases one after another (analysis, design, implementation, test, operation).
• Training: Both appear in vocational exams.

See also: Specification documents (Lastenheft and Pflichtenheft)