Introduction

What is Kanban?

Kanban is a methodology originally developed by Toyota to be more efficient.

There are only two constraints imposed by Kanban:

  • Visualize your workflow

  • Limit your work in progress

Visualize your workflow

  • Your work is displayed on a board so that you have a clear overview of your project

  • Each column represents a step in your workflow

Limit your work in progress

  • Encourages focus by avoiding multitasking

  • Each phase can have work-in-progress limits

  • Limits help identify bottlenecks

  • Limits help avoid working on too many tasks at the same time

Performance Measurement

Kanban uses lead and cycle times to measure performance:

  • Lead time: Time between task creation and completion

  • Cycle time: Time between task start and completion

For example, you may have a lead time of 100 days but only have to work 1 hour to complete the task.

Kanban vs Todo lists

Todo lists:

  • Single phase (just a list of items)

  • Multitasking possible (not efficient)

Kanban:

  • Multiple phases, each column represents a step

  • Bring focus and avoid multitasking by setting a work-in-progress limit per column

Kanban vs Scrum

Scrum:

  • Sprints are time-boxed, usually 2 or 4 weeks

  • Do not allow changes during the iteration

  • Estimation is required

  • Uses velocity as default metric

  • Scrum board is cleared between sprints

  • Scrum has pre-defined roles like scrum master, product owners and the team

  • A lot of meetings: planning, backlogs grooming, daily stand-up, retrospective

Kanban:

  • Continuous flow

  • Changes can be made at any time

  • Estimation is optional

  • Use lead and cycle time to measure performance

  • Kanban board is persistent

  • Kanban doesn’t impose strict constraints or meetings; the process is more flexible

Usage Examples

You can customize your boards according to your business activities:

Software development

  • Backlog

  • Ready

  • Work-in-progress

  • To be validated

  • Validated

  • Deployed in production

Bug Tracking

  • Reported

  • Confirmed

  • Work-in-progress

  • Tested

  • Fixed

Sales

  • Leads

  • Meeting

  • Proposal

  • Purchase

Lean Business Management

  • Ideas

  • Development

  • Measure

  • Analysis

  • Done

Recruiting Process

  • Job offers

  • Candidates

  • Phone screens

  • Interviews

  • Hires

Online Shops

  • Orders

  • Packaging

  • Ready to send

  • Shipped

Manufactory

  • Customer Orders

  • Assembly

  • Tests

  • Packaging

  • Ready to ship

  • Shipped