From Scrum to Kanban: Why Most Delivery Teams at PagerDuty Made the Switch

PagerDuty's transition from Scrum to Kanban across nearly all its delivery teams was driven by a culture that supports autonomy and flexibility, allowing teams to choose their own methodologies based on evolving needs. While Agile Coach Andrea Roberts initially coached Scrum teams, the noticeable success and satisfaction of teams using Kanban prompted a broader shift within the organization. The change was not immediate and required addressing misconceptions about Kanban, such as the idea that it eliminates estimation and commitments. The correct motivations for switching included Kanban's flexibility, which accommodates high-urgency tasks better than Scrum's structured approach. However, successful adoption of Kanban still demands discipline, communication, and estimation, similar to Scrum. The experience underscores the importance of aligning process choices with team dynamics and goals, rather than viewing one methodology as inherently superior.