Kanban 101

Kanban is an Agile project management framework that focuses on visualizing work, limiting work in progress, and improving flow. It originated in Japan in the 1940s as a way to improve manufacturing processes, but it has since been adapted for use in a wide range of industries and contexts.

Here’s a Kanban 101 guide to help you understand the basics of this framework:

Visualizing Work 

Kanban is all about visualizing work so that everyone involved can see what’s happening and what needs to be done. This is typically done using a Kanban board, which is a physical or digital board that displays all of the tasks and their status. The board is divided into columns that represent different stages of the workflow, such as “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Done.” Each task is represented by a card that can be moved between the columns as work progresses.

Limiting Work in Progress 

One of the key principles of Kanban is limiting work in progress. This means that you should only work on a certain number of tasks at a time to avoid overload and improve focus. The number of tasks you work on at a time will depend on your team’s capacity and the complexity of the work. By limiting work in progress, you can also reduce the amount of time it takes to complete each task and improve overall efficiency.

Improving Flow 

Another important principle of Kanban is improving flow. This means that you should strive to create a smooth and consistent flow of work through the workflow. To do this, you can use metrics such as lead time (the time it takes to complete a task from start to finish) and cycle time (the time it takes to complete a task once work has begun) to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement. You can then make adjustments to the workflow to improve flow, such as changing the order of tasks or reallocating resources.

Continuous Improvement 

Continuous improvement is a core principle of Agile methodologies, and it’s also a key part of Kanban. By constantly analyzing and improving the workflow, you can identify opportunities for efficiency gains and reduce waste. This means that you should regularly review and reflect on the Kanban board and make adjustments as needed. You can also use metrics to track progress over time and identify areas for improvement.

In conclusion, Kanban is a powerful Agile project management framework that can help teams visualize work, limit work in progress, improve flow, and continuously improve. By using a Kanban board and following the principles of Kanban, you can improve your team’s efficiency and effectiveness. If you’re interested in learning more about Kanban and how it can help your development team/s then get in touch!