If you are looking for a simple and effective way to manage your tasks, projects, and workflows, you might want to try the Kanban Method. Kanban is a visual system that helps you prioritize, track, and complete your work in a more efficient and agile way. In this article, you will learn what Kanban is, how it works, and how you can use it to improve your productivity.
Kanban is a Japanese word that means "signboard" or "card". It originated in the manufacturing industry, where workers used cards to signal the status and demand of parts and products. Kanban later evolved into a lean management approach that applies to any kind of work. The basic idea is to visualize your work on a board, limit the amount of work in progress, and optimize the flow of work from start to finish.
Just to help put some things in perspective I want to share the simplified kanban process. Imagine making a peanut butter & jelly sandwich. Think of a board with columns: “To Do”, “In Progress”, and “Done”. 1. To Do: List tasks like “Get Ingredients” and “Spread Peanut Butter”. 2. In Progress: When you start spreading peanut butter, move that task here. 3. Done: Finished spreading? Move the task to this column. As you make your sandwich, move tasks from left to right. That’s Kanban! It shows what’s left, what’s happening, and what’s done.
A Kanban board is a tool that helps you implement the Kanban method. It consists of three main elements: columns, cards, and lanes. Columns represent the stages of your work process, such as "to do", "doing", and "done". Cards represent the individual tasks or items that you need to work on. Lanes are optional subdivisions that can help you categorize your work by type, priority, or team. You can use a physical board with sticky notes, or a digital tool like Trello or Asana.
This is very reminiscent of the scrum meetings we used to attend at AXA UK. A board with ideas on it, like a meeting with a white board or even pin board with post it notes. I used to like that it was called a scrum in the UK as I used to play rugby and the scrum is where I flourished. Thanks to a very capable PE teacher at DGSB ( Dover Grammar School for Boys).
Kanban can help you improve your productivity by making your work more visible, manageable, and adaptable. It helps you focus on the most important tasks, and track your progress and performance. You can also use it to adapt to changing priorities and customer needs, and foster collaboration and feedback. To get the most out of Kanban, you should set a limit on how many tasks you can have in each column, review your board regularly, keep it flexible and responsive, invite stakeholders to participate in your work process, and use feedback loops like daily stand-ups, retrospectives, and reviews. This way, you can prevent bottlenecks, reduce waste, deliver value faster, and communicate, learn, and improve.
To get the most out of Kanban, you need to follow some best practices that will help you optimize your work process and results. Begin by making small improvements to your existing workflow. Make sure your board is clear and accessible to yourself and others, using colors, labels, icons, and filters to make it more informative and organized. Additionally, ensure that the board is visible and available to everyone involved in your work, either online or offline. Experiment with customizing your board and process to suit your specific needs and goals. Use data and feedback to test assumptions, validate results, and find ways to improve.
Ready to try Kanban? Follow these simple steps to get started: Define your work process and stages, create your board and cards, set your work in progress limits, and start working and moving your cards. When you define your workflow, consider how you normally work and the steps needed to complete tasks. You can use a generic workflow or create custom columns. Choose a tool or platform for your board and add cards with relevant details or attachments. Set a limit on how many tasks you can handle at each stage of the process to balance your workload. Begin with the highest priority tasks and move them along the columns as you work on them. Update the status and information of cards as needed, and check the board regularly to see progress and plan next steps. Kanban is an effective method that can help improve productivity and quality of work. It uses a visual board, limits work in progress, and optimizes the workflow - all to help you achieve more with less stress and waste. Try it today!