What is the Kanban System, and How Does it Work?

The Kanban system, rooted in Toyota’s practices, is a dynamic project management methodology. It visualizes workflow on a board, featuring columns like “To-Do,” “In-Progress,” “Validation,” and “Done.” Prominent in software development, Kanban emphasizes continuous delivery and incremental changes. Tasks progress through phases, fostering transparency, adaptability, and optimized workflows. Versatile and widely applied, Kanban proves effective across diverse industries.

What Is Kanban?

The Kanban is a straightforward method for improving processes. It helps organizations and teams satisfy customers and increase profits by visualizing and refining the flow of value. By doing more of what adds value and eliminating wasteful activities, Kanban enhances efficiency.

Kanban, contrary to common belief, isn’t a strict framework like agile or lean. It skips predefined roles or events and encourages visualizing process steps. By making work items visible, Kanban facilitates the transition from inputs to outputs, streamlining your workflow.

1. Efficient Workflow: Maintain a smooth workflow with Kanban by spotting bottlenecks—when tasks pile up in a step due to slow processing. Visual cues help identify these snags, allowing for timely adjustments and ensuring a steady and efficient flow of work.
2. Optimizing Value Flow: Ensure a smooth workflow with Kanban by spotting bottlenecks—when tasks pile up due to slow processing. Visual cues make identifying issues easy, prompting timely adjustments for an efficient flow of work. It’s about maintaining consistency and enhancing overall team efficiency.

Kanban stands out for its adaptability. Unlike rigid frameworks, it doesn’t demand a complete overhaul of roles or events, seamlessly integrating with your existing ways of working. It’s universally applicable, serving as a tool to make work processes visible. Kanban highlights what works and what needs improvement, promoting transparency.

The 6 Core Practices of Kanban Methods

The Kanban process improvement method has six most important core practices which are as follows:

1. Visualization In Workflow: Make your work visible with Kanban. Break it into cards and put them on a Kanban board with columns representing stages from idea to completion. It’s about transparency in the workflow.
2. Limitations in the progress of work: In Kanban, restrict work in progress by assigning a cap to items in each board column. Each stage, whether done by an individual or a team, has a limit, aiding bottleneck detection.
3. Optimizing Workflow: In Kanban, manage workflow for continuous value delivery and sustainable delivery pace. Prioritize managing and enhancing the flow, avoiding rushed attempts that compromise product quality or lead to workforce burnout.
4. Clear Path to Value: Clearly state process policies for seamless value delivery. Ensure everyone knows the guidelines, whether through SOPs, Definitions of Ready, or Done. These standards are vital for work progression within each stage.
5. Driving Improvement: Use feedback loops in Kanban, the system adjusts when it deviates. Kanban practitioners inspect and tweak their processes regularly for improvements.
6. Collaborative Evolution in Kanban: In Kanban, the team owns the workflow. Improvements are a team effort. Changes are most effective when driven by team members, promoting collaboration and experimentation for continuous process enhancement.

How does Kanban Work?

In Kanban, teams begin by visualizing their current processes and consistently refining them. The Kanban toolbox, equipped with values, principles, and practices, guides this journey of continuous improvement, fostering adaptability for more efficient and effective workflows.

Works Flow of classic kanban boards

In the model of a classic Kanban board, there are three main columns, as shown in the picture above:

1. TO DO

• The To Do column lists that tasks which are not yet started. All those kinds of tasks are listed here for picking like geeks for geeks article picking concepts (aka “backlog”)
• Alright, check it out: “To Do” is where our tasks chill before we dive in.
• Picture this: our team spots a task, like creating a software feature. It’s “To Do” bound.
• This is the calm zone, where tasks sit tight before the action begins, just waiting.
• Think backstage vibes – the “To Do” column is like the prep area for upcoming tasks.
• So, in a nutshell, “To Do” is the quiet before the storm, where tasks queue up.

2. Doing

• The Doing column consists of the tasks that are in progress. It means that tasks that are running are put down here.
• Team member kicks off a task; it steps into the “Doing” zone, ready for action.
• Developer starts coding; task shifts from “To Do” to “Doing,” bringing ideas to life.
• “Doing” column: backstage of productivity, where tasks get real, someone’s in the groove.
• Task says, “Let’s do this!” as it confidently strides onto the stage of progress.

3. Done

• The Done column consists of the tasks that are completed. It means they are just end to completion listed down here.
• The “Done” column is like a victory stage for completed tasks.
• Developers proudly move tasks, saying, “We nailed it!”
• It signifies polished work ready for action.
• “Done” is backstage, prepping for reviews and deployment.
• In “Done,” each task marks progress, and high-fives to the team.

Conclusion

The Kanban approach is easy to use and adaptable for a variety of teams and industries, including project management and software development. Organizations that implement the principles of Kanban might witness a rise in production, decrease in lead times and enhance teamwork, ultimately creating a work environment that is more adaptable and durable.