Introduction

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