Kanban - Upstream vs DownStream

While the specific terms "upstream" and "downstream" might not have a single origin story within Kanban, the overall concept of differentiating between preparation and execution stages in a workflow has roots in various areas:

1. Manufacturing and Production:

• Assembly lines in manufacturing naturally have upstream (sourcing materials, preparing components) and downstream (final assembly, packaging, shipping) stages. This concept of differentiating stages within a production process likely influenced the application of similar ideas in software development and project management.

2. Supply Chain Management:

• Supply chain management focuses on optimizing the flow of materials and information from suppliers (upstream) to customers (downstream). This established understanding of upstream and downstream activities as components of a larger flow system influenced Kanban's approach to visualizing work.

3. Lean Manufacturing:

• Kanban itself is heavily influenced by Lean manufacturing principles. Lean principles emphasize eliminating waste and optimizing flow throughout the value stream. Distinguishing between upstream and downstream activities helps identify potential bottlenecks and areas for improvement within the flow of work.

4. Project Management:

• Traditional project management methodologies often differentiate between planning and execution phases. Kanban borrows this concept but applies it within an iterative and continuous flow system, with upstream activities informing and feeding into downstream execution.

Evolution of Upstream Kanban:

While the fundamental concepts of upstream and downstream activities might have existed in various contexts, the specific term "Upstream Kanban" is a more recent development. It's associated with Patrick Steyaert, who popularized the idea of focusing on upstream activities (requirements, design) to improve the efficiency of downstream execution (development, testing). His book "Essential Upstream Kanban" (2018) further solidified the concept within the Kanban community.

In Kanban, the terms "downstream" and "upstream" refer to different stages within the overall workflow of work items. They essentially represent the direction of work as it progresses through the Kanban system.

Here's a breakdown of the key distinctions:

Downstream:

• Focus: Downstream activities are directly related to delivering the final product or service to the customer.
• Activities: This typically includes stages like development, testing, deployment, and potentially even post-release support activities.
• Kanban Board Representation: Downstream activities are usually depicted on the right side of a Kanban board, closer to the "Done" stage.
• Team: The downstream team is primarily responsible for executing the work and ensuring it meets quality standards and customer requirements.

Upstream:

• Focus: Upstream activities are those that occur before the work enters the development or production phase.
• Activities: This might involve tasks like gathering requirements, analysis, design, user experience (UX) research, or initial planning activities.
• Kanban Board Representation: Upstream activities are typically visualized on the left side of a Kanban board, often preceding the "In Progress" stage. In some Kanban systems, upstream activities might even be represented on a separate board altogether.
• Team: The upstream team is responsible for preparing the work for development and ensuring it's well-defined, clear, and meets customer needs. This team might involve product managers, business analysts, or user experience designers.

Commitment Point:

The boundary between upstream and downstream is often marked by a commitment point on the Kanban board. This point signifies the transition from planning and preparation (upstream) to actual development and execution (downstream). Once a work item crosses the commitment point, the downstream team takes ownership and commits to delivering it within a designated timeframe.

Benefits of Distinguishing Upstream and Downstream:

• Improved Flow: By clearly separating upstream and downstream activities, bottlenecks can be identified more easily. This allows for better management of work flow and ensures smooth handoffs between teams.
• Enhanced Transparency: Highlighting the upstream and downstream stages on the Kanban board fosters transparency and communication between different teams involved in the value stream.
• Focus on Value Delivery: Separating these stages emphasizes the importance of upstream activities in ensuring downstream work is well-defined and delivers value to the customer.

Understanding the distinction between upstream and downstream activities in Kanban is crucial for optimizing workflow efficiency, promoting collaboration between teams, and ultimately ensuring the successful delivery of valuable products or services to customers.

Imagine a busy restaurant kitchen as a Kanban system. Here's how downstream and upstream activities play out:

Downstream (Right Side of the Kanban Board):

• Focus: Delivering delicious food to customers.
• Activities: Chefs (the downstream team) are responsible for cooking, plating, and ensuring quality of the dishes.
• Analogy: Grilling the steak, boiling the pasta, assembling the salad, plating the dessert.

Upstream (Left Side of the Kanban Board):

• Focus: Preparing work for the chefs, ensuring smooth downstream execution.
• Activities: Wait staff (the upstream team) take orders from customers, communicate requirements to the kitchen, and ensure all necessary ingredients are available.
• Analogy: Taking orders, clarifying customer preferences (rare or medium steak?, dressing on the side?), checking inventory for ingredients, prepping vegetables for salad.

Commitment Point (Between Upstream and Downstream):

• Represents: When the wait staff transmits the final order to the kitchen.
• Analogy: The chef receives the finalized order ticket with all customer specifications. At this point, the kitchen (downstream) assumes responsibility for delivering the meal within a designated timeframe.

Benefits of Distinguishing Upstream and Downstream:

• Improved Flow: Just like ensuring all ingredients are in stock before taking an order, upstream activities prevent bottlenecks in the kitchen. No chef is left waiting for missing ingredients, leading to smoother workflow.
• Enhanced Transparency: Communication between wait staff and chefs ensures everyone is aware of customer orders and expectations. This transparency avoids confusion and wasted effort.
• Focus on Value Delivery: Proper upstream work ensures the kitchen receives clear instructions and all necessary ingredients. This allows chefs to focus on preparing delicious food and delivering value to the customer (a satisfying meal).

In essence, just like in a restaurant kitchen, success in Kanban relies on efficient collaboration between upstream (preparation) and downstream (execution) activities. Each stage plays a vital role in ensuring the smooth flow of work and the timely delivery of a valuable product or service.

References:

https://medium.com/@dogan.gunes/notes-from-essential-upstream-kanban-book-cb918e720ea2

https://www.kanban.university/

https://aktiasolutions.com/upstream-kanban-business-agility/

I hope you discover it to be valuable.

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Disclaimer: This post is written by the author in his capacity and doesn’t reflect the views of any other organization and/or person.

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