(Book Review) Kanban and Scrum: Making the Most of Both, 1st Edition

Overview

Review Published: April, 2021.

From developers, Agile advocates, and consultants Henrik Kniberg and Mattias Skarin comes an overview and comparison of the Kanban and Scrum methodologies in Agile development.

From examining each development approach, to the in-depth contrast and comparisons, this book serves as a great jumping off point for getting to know both methodologies and when to apply them.

Rating:

4 / 5

(Great Content, Presentation is Clear)

What does this score mean?

Difficulty:

Beginner (Lays out the characteristics of each development method very plainly).

Length:

104 pages.

Where to Buy It:

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What's Good

Very clear examination of Agile development; all of the specific features and differences of the two Agile methodologies are clearly laid out with lots of excellent examples.
Comes from lots of practical experience; both authors have a long track record of deep-seated expertise in this field, and their ability to distill things into simple language and examples showcases that.
Easy to read; even if you have only a passing familiarity with Agile development methodologies (i.e. a casual Google search will help you with this in 5 minutes), this book keeps the language and examples simple enough for anyone to dive in.

What Can Be Improved

Misses design as a discreet activity; as you’ll find in most books about development, the deliberate inclusion of design is absent, and this is a missed opportunity as both disciplines grow closer together.
Missing summary; while the content of the book is very clear, an easily referenced summary/comparison of the two methods would be the icing on the cake.

The Bottom Line

A key starting point for UX-based Agile teams; as UX Design becomes more integrated into Agile product teams, the ability to combine all of that subject-matter expertise is going to be critical for future success, and it behooves us as design professionals to position ourselves to lead that effort.
For any level of UX professional interested in closer project team integration; as it becomes more important than ever that design and development work together as effectively as possible, this book provides a clear starting point as we work towards that integration.
Great value, but check for deals; while this is a great value at the cover price ($23) for any leadership-minded UX or Development professionals, be sure to check around as I’ve seen it for cheaper (hint: check ALL of the “Where to Get It” buttons above.