Kanban 101: Visualizing and Optimizing Workflow
Introduction
Imagine working on a variety of discrete tasks: it could be bug fixes, chores around the house, or a punch list of things to do before wrapping up a project. They aren't directly related to each other, but you want to know their current status and if people are overloaded trying to complete them.
Kanban is an Agile framework that excels in situations like this. A "card" is created for each item that needs to be worked on. A simple example of a three-column arrangement would be: To Do, In Progress, Ready for Review, and Done. Next, place the card in the appropriate column. Bottlenecks are identified by placing limits on work in progress. That's the simplest way to think of Kanban.
Let's explore the principles and practices in more detail.
Principles
Make Work Visible
There is a card for every task, which helps with understanding any dependencies and the current status of the task.
Limit Work In Progress
Context switching takes time and needs to be managed so that we spend more time doing the actual work. So, place an upper limit on how many things can be in progress at any given time.
Manage Flow
As new information becomes available, like a task being blocked because it's waiting on something, move the card to the correct column: either back to "To Do" or a new "Blocked" column, so the team is now aware that the task is delayed. This helps identify cards that need assistance from external teams, for example.
Keep Improving
Just like retrospective meetings in Scrum, Kanban also encourages constant evaluation of what can be improved.
Kanban Board
A Kanban board is a visual representation of the workflow, divided into columns that represent different stages of the process. Each column contains cards representing individual tasks. As tasks progress through the workflow, the corresponding cards are moved from one column to the next. A typical Kanban board may include columns such as "To Do," "In Progress," "Ready for Review," and "Done."
Benefits of Kanban
- Increased Visibility: Everyone on the team just needs to see the dashboard to identify where things are at any given moment.
- Improved Efficiency: By limiting WIP and focusing on flow, teams can reduce context-switching and work more efficiently.
- Enhanced Flexibility: When priorities change, such as the priority of a task, it can be reflected on the dashboard by moving things around and making room for the new higher-priority task.
- Encourages Collaboration: The visibility and transparency provided by the Kanban board foster better communication and collaboration among team members.
Implementing Kanban
To get started with Kanban, follow these steps:
- Define your workflow: Identify the various stages of your process and create columns for each stage on your Kanban board. I provided an example of four columns, but you can create more or fewer columns as needed for your team.
- Create cards for tasks: Write down individual tasks on cards and place them in the appropriate columns based on their current status.
- Set WIP limits: Determine the maximum number of tasks that can be in progress simultaneously in each column.
- Monitor and optimize: Regularly review your workflow and make adjustments as needed to improve efficiency and productivity.
Conclusion
Kanban offers a simple yet powerful approach to visualizing and optimizing workflow. By implementing Kanban principles and practices, teams can improve their productivity, efficiency, and adaptability while fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Whether you're new to Agile methodologies or looking for a way to streamline your existing processes, Kanban provides a flexible and effective solution that can benefit teams, especially those focused on bug fixes, SRE, or content creation teams. By visualizing work, limiting work in progress, managing flow, and continuously improving, Kanban can help teams better understand their workflow and make necessary adjustments to optimize productivity. Give Kanban a try to see if it's the right fit for your team and its unique requirements.
