Match the process to the mission

A few years ago, after my startup was acquired, we split our development teams across three business lines: B2B, B2C, and zero-to-one innovation.

Should all three teams run the same way? Our answer was no.

We kept B2B and B2C on standard two-week Scrum. For the innovation squad, we switched to Kanban.

A process for constant learning

The innovation team was operating in constant change. Strategy shifted quickly, priorities moved weekly, and new learning kept changing what mattered.

In that environment, a committed two-week sprint could slow the team down. Kanban gave us the ability to pivot quickly, even midstream, and ship faster.

We paired it with an expedite swim lane, flexible replenishment and commitment ceremonies, and continuous deployments.

The result was faster launches, faster customer signals, and faster learning.

The tradeoffs were real

It wasn’t perfect. We created some technical debt, some orphaned code, and some work that never shipped.

For a team focused on Build–Measure–Learn, that was the right tradeoff. The priority was learning our way toward a product, and the operating model needed to support that mission.

The lesson I took away: good teams choose a process that fits the work. Consistency has value, but the same framework doesn’t need to apply everywhere.