Issues Addressed

Workflow Bottlenecks Lack of Visibility Inefficient Task Management

When to Use

Improving Workflow Efficiency Enhancing Team Collaboration Managing Workload Effectively

Kanban

Kanban is a visual workflow management method used to optimize the flow of work and improve team productivity by visualizing tasks and limiting work in progress.

Origins

Developed by Taiichi Ohno at Toyota as part of the Toyota Production System.
Adopted in software development to improve workflow visibility and efficiency.
Popularized by Lean and Agile methodologies for managing work processes.

Implementation Details

Core Principles of Kanban

Kanban is based on visualizing work, limiting work in progress (WIP), and managing flow. It uses a board with columns representing different stages of work, and cards representing tasks.

Key Components

  • Visualize Workflow: Use a board to display tasks and their status.
  • Limit WIP: Set limits on the number of tasks in each stage to prevent overload.
  • Manage Flow: Monitor and optimize the movement of tasks through the workflow.
  • Make Process Policies Explicit: Clearly define and communicate process rules.
  • Implement Feedback Loops: Regularly review and adjust processes based on feedback.

Best Practices

  • Start with existing processes and gradually improve.
  • Use metrics like lead time and cycle time to measure performance.
  • Encourage team collaboration and continuous improvement.

Implementation Steps

  1. 1

    Set up a Kanban board with columns for each workflow stage

  2. 2

    Define and limit work in progress (WIP) for each stage

  3. 3

    Visualize tasks using cards on the board

  4. 4

    Monitor and manage the flow of tasks

  5. 5

    Regularly review and adjust processes based on feedback

Usage

Usage data is only available to HyperFormation members

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Benefits & Considerations

Benefits
  • improved workflow visibility
  • enhanced team productivity
  • better workload management
Considerations
  • requires continuous monitoring
  • may need cultural change
  • initial setup can be time-consuming