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How do you handle dependencies and blockers in Kanban?

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Kanban is a popular method for managing workflow and improving efficiency in various domains, such as software development, manufacturing, or service delivery. It is based on the principles of lean thinking, which aim to eliminate waste, optimize value, and deliver fast and high-quality results. But how do you handle dependencies and blockers in Kanban, which can slow down or disrupt your flow? In this article, we will explore some strategies and best practices for dealing with these common challenges.

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Daniel Madazio Rahal Farhat

Gerente | Consultor | Mentor | Melhoria Contínua | Lean | ágil | Excelência Operacional | Seis Sigma | Gest?o de…
Dean Chanter

Gen AI Demystifier, AI Agent Creator, Langchain Fan
Ajay Gupta

Founder and CEO of the Bachpan and AHPS Group of Schools | Co-Founder of Rishihood University | TEDx Speaker

1 What are dependencies and blockers?

Dependencies and blockers are factors that prevent a task or a work item from moving forward in the Kanban process. A dependency is a situation where a task depends on another task or resource that is not available or ready. For example, you may need to wait for a colleague to finish a feature before you can test it, or you may need to get approval from a client before you can proceed. A blocker is a situation where a task is stuck or blocked due to an unexpected issue or obstacle. For example, you may encounter a bug that requires a lot of debugging, or you may face a change request that requires rework.

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Ajay Gupta

Founder and CEO of the Bachpan and AHPS Group of Schools | Co-Founder of Rishihood University | TEDx Speaker
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Dependencies and blockers tend to create bottlenecks and also emerge as bottlenecks in an organisation. They are not always a bad sign, however. If all your processes and tasks are always running smoothly as well as efficiently, that might suggest that you are not growing up. A kind of stagnancy emerges in your growth trajectory.

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2 Why are dependencies and blockers harmful?

Dependencies and blockers are harmful because they create waste and inefficiency in the Kanban system. They cause delays, bottlenecks, rework, and frustration. They reduce the throughput and the quality of the work. They also increase the risk of losing customer satisfaction and trust. Therefore, it is important to identify, prevent, and resolve dependencies and blockers as soon as possible.

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3 How to identify dependencies and blockers?

The first step to handle dependencies and blockers is to identify them clearly and transparently. You can use visual indicators on your Kanban board, such as color codes, icons, or labels, to mark the tasks that have dependencies or blockers. You can also use a separate column or swimlane to group them together. This way, you can easily see the status and the impact of each dependency or blocker, and communicate it to your team and stakeholders.

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Dean Chanter

Gen AI Demystifier, AI Agent Creator, Langchain Fan
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Actually I disagree with the use of columns or swimlanes for blockers since this can hide work and breaks the idea that columns on the board should represent the flow of value.

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4 How to prevent dependencies and blockers?

To avoid the occurrence of dependencies and blockers, you can break down tasks into smaller and more manageable pieces, prioritize them based on value and urgency, align them with team capacity and availability, define clear expectations and acceptance criteria, and collaborate and communicate regularly. This will help you focus on the most important tasks, avoid overloading or underutilizing your resources, prevent ambiguity and confusion, and coordinate your work to avoid surprises.

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5 How to resolve dependencies and blockers?

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, dependencies and blockers may still occur. In that case, it is important to resolve them quickly and effectively. You can do this by escalating the issue to the appropriate person or authority, negotiating and compromising with the other party involved, re-prioritizing or re-planning your tasks based on the new situation, and learning from the experience to implement corrective actions or preventive measures. Doing so will help you avoid repeating the same dependency or blocker in the future.

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6 How to improve your dependency and blocker management?

Finally, you can improve your dependency and blocker management by continuously monitoring and measuring your performance and feedback. You can use metrics such as cycle time, lead time, throughput, and quality, to track how well you are handling dependencies and blockers. You can also use tools such as charts, graphs, or reports, to visualize and analyze your data. You can then use this information to identify the root causes of your dependencies and blockers, and implement improvements or changes in your process, policies, or practices.

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Dean Chanter

Gen AI Demystifier, AI Agent Creator, Langchain Fan
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One of the best ways to improve the resolution is through the use of the aging metric. By comparing the age of the item to the teams SLA up the team determine where to focus.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Daniel Madazio Rahal Farhat

Gerente | Consultor | Mentor | Melhoria Contínua | Lean | ágil | Excelência Operacional | Seis Sigma | Gest?o de Mudan?as
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Estabele?a uma cadeia de ajuda com tempos limites de tentativa de liberar o fluxo para cada nível. é interessante também que ao escalar o problema, ele seja direcionado para a área que tem maiores condi??es de competências e recursos para resolvê-lo.

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How do you handle dependencies and blockers in Kanban?

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1 What are dependencies and blockers?

2 Why are dependencies and blockers harmful?

3 How to identify dependencies and blockers?

4 How to prevent dependencies and blockers?

5 How to resolve dependencies and blockers?

6 How to improve your dependency and blocker management?

7 Here’s what else to consider

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