Agile, Without the Ceremony Theatre
Most teams do not need to be told agile is good. They need to know whether to run Scrum or Kanban, which meetings are worth keeping, and which numbers actually tell them anything.
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What is agile?
Agile is a way of delivering work in small, frequent increments rather than one large release, so a team can change direction as it learns instead of finding out at the end. It is a set of principles rather than a process, which is why it shows up as different frameworks: Scrum runs fixed length sprints with a committed goal, Kanban runs a continuous flow with limits on work in progress, and plenty of teams run a mix. Orangescrum supports all three, set per project, so the tool does not decide the method for you.
Where agile goes wrong in practice
What agile needs from a tool
A backlog worth grooming
One prioritised, estimated product backlog. If the backlog is a wish list nobody prunes, no framework will save the team.
Sprints with a real goal
Plan, run, and close sprints with story points and a sprint goal, so a sprint is a commitment rather than a fortnight.
A board that matches your flow
Columns you define, and work in progress limits if you want them, so the board shows your process rather than a generic one.
Metrics from the work
Burndown, velocity, average age, and resolution time, calculated from what happened, not from what people typed into a status form.
Both, at once
One project runs Scrum, another runs Kanban, in the same workspace. The method is a project setting.
Everyone in the room
Unlimited users on every plan, so product, QA, support, and stakeholders are all in the tool rather than being told about it.
How to start properly
Which framework suits you
Which edition includes what
| Capability | CloudManaged SaaS | Self-HostedOn-premise / private cloud | Open SourceCommunity Edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanban boards with custom columns | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Product and sprint backlogs | Pro | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sprints, story points, and sprint goals | Pro | ✓ | ✗ |
| Epics, features, and stories | Pro | ✓ | ✗ |
| Burndown and velocity | Pro | ✓ | ✗ |
| Gantt view of the same work | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Work in progress limits | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Scaled Agile (Essential SAFe) | Premium | ✓ | ✗ |
Agile FAQ
What is the difference between agile and Scrum?
Agile is the set of principles. Scrum is one framework that implements them, with fixed length sprints, a product owner, a Scrum master, and a set of ceremonies. Kanban is another, based on continuous flow and limiting work in progress. You can be agile without being Scrum.
Should we run Scrum or Kanban?
If your work can be scoped and committed for a fixed period, Scrum gives you a rhythm and a velocity figure worth having. If work arrives unpredictably, as it does in support, operations, and most maintenance, Kanban fits better. Running sprints on a queue that keeps being interrupted just produces failed sprints.
Can different teams use different methods?
Yes. The method is set per project, so one team can run sprints while another runs a continuous board in the same workspace, with no separate installation.
Can we use agile and still give stakeholders a timeline?
Yes, and this is usually the sticking point. The Gantt chart is another view of the same tasks, so the team runs sprints while leadership sees dates and milestones, without anybody maintaining a second plan.
What agile metrics does Orangescrum give us?
Sprint burndown, velocity, average age, resolution time, and planned against actual, all calculated from real sprint data. There is no earned value analysis in the product, so if your organisation runs on EVM you should know that up front.
Which plan includes sprints?
The agile framework, sprints, epics, and backlog management are on the Cloud Pro plan and above, and are included in the Self-Hosted edition. Kanban boards are in every edition, including the free Community Edition.
Does it support work in progress limits?
Yes, in the Self-Hosted edition, through the WIP limits module. Cloud Kanban boards do not enforce a column limit today.
Does it scale beyond one team?
Yes. Scaled Agile with Essential SAFe support is on the Premium plan and in Self-Hosted, adding release trains and Program Increments above the team level.
Can we connect it to our repositories?
Yes. Git Sync links GitHub and GitLab in both editions so branches, commits, and pull requests show against the work. Cloud adds Azure DevOps and the Self-Hosted edition adds Jenkins. There is no Zapier connector.
How many users can we add?
Unlimited, on every plan. Plans are flat monthly prices: 29 dollars Basic, 69 dollars Pro, and 349 dollars Premium. Adding the whole team plus stakeholders does not change the bill.
Run it the way your team actually works
Kanban is in every edition. Sprints are on the Pro plan and above. 14 day free trial, unlimited users.