Kanban is an innovative productivity system best known for how simply it visualizes workflow. Now that we know the principles behind the methodology, let’s look at how to design and manage a kanban board.
Components of a kanban board
If you look at a kanban board from a distance, you’ll see a series of columns filled with colorful cards. It might be hard to imagine how this helps organize individual workflows, let alone an entire organization or team. Look closer at the individual elements, and it will start to make sense.
Columns: the stages
The columns represent the stages of a project. Most kanban boards usually feature some variation of these three items:
- To-do
- In progress
- Complete
However, different organizations have different needs. Some projects will require four or more stages. For example, a product design team may want six stages in their workflow:
- Backlog: a complete but unordered list of tasks a team must complete to finish the project
- Priority: the most important or pressing tasks workers have pulled from the backlog to begin working on
- In process: a list of items currently being worked on
- Review: items awaiting feedback from managers and other stakeholders
- Ready: tasks approved for design
- Completed: tasks awaiting user feedback
Kanban is flexible enough to accommodate as many stages as a project warrants. For simplicity, however, limit the number of stages as much as possible so the kanban board does not become too cluttered, defeating its purpose.
Cards: the work
Each colorful card on a kanban board corresponds with a work item. They contain important information, such as a brief description of the task, deadlines, or estimated time to complete it.
The color of the card can be meaningful as well, depending on your projects. For example, each employee or team may select a color to associate their work with. If all of the items they’re responsible for are displayed on cards of that color, they can zero in on their tasks whenever they look at the board, no matter how much information is displayed. Colors can also denote the type of work, such as red for coding or green for research. Of course, the colors could be completely random if you want a bright and eye-catching board.
Each column or stage should have a limit to the number of cards that can occupy it. These WIP limits ensure members of your team are always being productive but not hindering their performance by multitasking or taking on too much.
Swimlanes
In addition to columns, some boards have horizontal rows that split a board into sections. These kanban swimlanes can neatly group types of tasks, as well as team or individual responsibilities. Swimlanes often serve the same function as color-coded cards but present the information even more clearly.
Managing kanban boards
Now that you know how to make a kanban board, here’s how to make sure your organization gets the most out of it:
Make it visible
Kanban means “signboard,” giving an idea of how it should be displayed — as prominently as possible. A well-made kanban board will give team members guidance on what they should do next, how work is progressing for everyone else, and why they’re doing what they’re doing. Even if you’re not artistically inclined, or you’re embarrassed about its design, the kanban board should be displayed as prominently as possible so everyone can access it effortlessly.
The more prominent a kanban board is, the less likely employees will pester you with questions about processes. All the answers they seek should be on the board. You can even use it as a visual aid in meetings to discuss progress, issues, and accomplishments. Let the kanban board be the centerpiece of your workflow and everything your organization is doing.
Decide between a physical or digital kanban board
The original kanban boards mapped out workflows on chalk and whiteboards, often using colorful sticky notes as cards because they were easy to move from stage to stage. These days, workflow management software helps users create digital kanban boards with even more features and functionality. Both formats have benefits and drawbacks, as shown by countless kanban board examples.
Generally, physical boards are best for offices and give employees something tangible to look to for instruction. Digital kanban boards are better for remote teams or operations with no central location. Assess your needs to determine whether you should use a physical kanban board or software with kanban capabilities. You could also choose to have both. Even if everyone can look at a kanban board on their computers, updating a physical board is a great ritual to illustrate collective progress.
Use a kanban pull system
One of the most unique components of a kanban workflow is that teams only focus on work items as needed. A kanban pull system signals when teams should pull in new items to keep up with demand. Working this way ensures teams maintain a steady flow of productivity without the burden of more than they can handle.
The WIP limits often signal when more work should be pulled in. For example, in a kanban workflow for product design, a WIP limit for the “in-process” stage might be five. When each card moves to the “done” stage, that prompts the team to begin working on another task so only five items are in process at any given time.
Beyond workflow framing
The kanban method is an excellent tool for organizing and visualizing workflows, but they do more than streamline processes. As we know, WIP limits prevent individuals and teams from becoming overwhelmed. But how can managers ensure they meet customer demands while adhering to those limits? A kanban value stream map can clarify exactly how much they need to produce, helping teams find their ideal WIP limit. In turn, this signals whether or not to hire more employees or allocate resources to specific projects, based on the value doing so will provide.
With so many uses for kanban, its potential impact on an organization is astronomical. Read on to learn who this method helps most.
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