KANBAN

Kanban is a visual workflow management method that originated in lean manufacturing and has since been widely adopted in software development and other industries. The word "kanban" is Japanese and roughly translates to "card you can see".

Here's a comprehensive overview of the Kanban process:

Core Principles of Kanban

1. Start with what you do now: Kanban can be applied to existing workflows without major disruptions[

2. Agree to pursue incremental, evolutionary change: Kanban promotes gradual improvements rather than radical overhauls

3. Respect the current process, roles, responsibilities, and titles: Kanban doesn't require immediate organizational changes

4. Encourage acts of leadership at all levels: Kanban empowers team members to take initiative and contribute to improvements

Kanban Practices

1. Visualize the workflow: Use a Kanban board to represent work items and their progress

2. Limit Work in Progress (WIP): Set maximum numbers of items allowed in each workflow stage

3. Manage flow: Ensure smooth movement of work items through the system

4. Make process policies explicit: Clearly define rules and guidelines for how work is done

5. Implement feedback loops: Regularly review and adjust the process based on performance

6. Improve collaboratively: Encourage team-wide participation in continuous improvement efforts

Kanban Board

The Kanban board is a central tool in the Kanban process:

1. Structure: Typically divided into columns representing workflow stages (e.g., To Do, In Progress, Done)

2. Kanban cards: Represent individual work items or tasks

3. Swimlanes: Optional horizontal divisions for different types of work or teams

4. WIP limits: Visual indicators of capacity constraints for each column

Key Concepts

1. Pull system: Work is pulled through the system based on capacity, rather than pushed

2. Continuous flow: Aim for smooth, uninterrupted movement of work items

3. Just-in-Time delivery: Complete work items as close as possible to when they're needed

4. Classes of service: Categorize work items based on priority or type

Kanban Metrics

1. Lead time: Total time from work item creation to completion

2. Cycle time: Time spent actively working on an item

3. Throughput: Number of items completed in a given time period

4. Cumulative Flow Diagram: Visualizes work item distribution across stages over time

Benefits of Kanban

1. Improved visibility of work and bottlenecks

2. Increased efficiency and reduced waste

3. Enhanced flexibility and adaptability to changing priorities

4. Better predictability of delivery times

5. Continuous improvement culture

Implementing Kanban

1. Map the current workflow

2. Analyze demand and system capabilities

3. Design the Kanban board

4. Set initial WIP limits

5. Define explicit process policies

6. Implement regular review and adjustment meetings

Kanban vs. Other Methodologies

Kanban is often compared to other Agile methodologies, particularly Scrum:

1. Flexibility: Kanban is more flexible, allowing for continuous flow rather than fixed sprints

2. Roles: Kanban doesn't prescribe specific roles, unlike Scrum's defined roles

3. Change philosophy: Kanban focuses on evolutionary change, while Scrum may involve more significant process shifts

4. Metrics: Kanban emphasizes lead time and cycle time, while Scrum focuses on velocity and burndown charts[

Kanban's adaptability makes it suitable for various industries and project types, from software development to marketing and operations. Its focus on visualizing work, limiting WIP, and continuous improvement can lead to more efficient and effective workflows in many contexts.

Typical Kanban Process. Credit: https://businessmap.io/