How do you train colleagues on Kanban?

1 Explain the benefits

Before you start using Kanban, you need to explain why it is beneficial for your team and your project. You can use examples from other teams or industries that have successfully adopted Kanban and show how it improved their performance, quality, and customer satisfaction. You can also highlight how Kanban can help your team reduce waste, avoid bottlenecks, and respond to changes faster.

2 Demonstrate the basics

Once you have convinced your colleagues of the value of Kanban, you need to demonstrate how it works in practice. You can use a simple tool like a whiteboard, a flip chart, or an online app to create a Kanban board. A Kanban board is a visual representation of your workflow, divided into columns that represent different stages of the process. You can use sticky notes, cards, or icons to represent the tasks or items that move through the board. You can also add labels, colors, or symbols to indicate the priority, status, or owner of each task.

3 Define the rules

After you have set up your Kanban board, you need to define the rules that govern how your team will use it. One of the most important rules is to limit the work in progress (WIP) in each column. This means that you can only have a certain number of tasks in each stage of the process at any given time. This prevents overload, improves focus, and increases throughput. You can also define other rules, such as how to pull tasks from one column to another, how to handle blockers, and how to measure progress.

4 Train by doing

The best way to train your colleagues on Kanban is to let them experience it firsthand. You can start by using Kanban for a small or simple project, or a part of a larger project, and see how it works for your team. You can also use games, simulations, or exercises to illustrate the concepts and principles of Kanban in a fun and interactive way. You can also ask for feedback, suggestions, and questions from your colleagues and address any issues or concerns they may have.

5 Review and improve

Kanban is not a fixed or rigid methodology, but a dynamic and adaptive one. This means that you need to review and improve your Kanban system regularly, based on the data and feedback you collect from your board and your team. You can use metrics such as cycle time, lead time, throughput, and quality to evaluate your performance and identify areas for improvement. You can also use practices such as daily stand-ups, retrospectives, and Kaizen events to communicate, collaborate, and learn from your team and your customers.

6 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?