Pull System

The Kanban method is a lean approach to managing work that emphasizes a pull system. In contrast to a push system, where work is constantly pushed onto teams regardless of their capacity, a pull system in Kanban focuses on delivering work based on demand. Here's a deeper explanation of the pull system in Kanban:

Core Concept:

• Work progresses through the Kanban board based on available capacity, signaled by the WIP (Work in Progress) limits for each stage.
• New work is only pulled into the system when a card representing a work item is completed and moves to the "Done" stage, freeing up space within the WIP limit for that stage.

Benefits of the Pull System:

• Prevents Overload: By limiting WIP, the pull system prevents teams from being overburdened with too much work at once. This leads to better focus, improved quality of work, and reduced lead times.
• Improves Visibility: The Kanban board acts as a visual cue, allowing everyone to see the current workload and available capacity. This transparency fosters better communication and collaboration within the team.
• Focuses on Delivering Value: The pull system ensures that work is completed and delivered to the customer only when there's demand. This helps prioritize tasks that add value and avoids unnecessary work.
• Adaptability: The pull system allows teams to be more responsive to changes in priorities or workload. Since new work is pulled based on capacity, the system can adapt to fluctuations in demand more effectively.

How the Pull System Works in Kanban:

1. The Kanban board has clearly defined stages representing the workflow (e.g., To Do, In Progress, Done).
2. Each stage has a designated WIP limit, indicating the maximum number of work items allowed in that stage at any given time.
3. When a team member completes a work item and moves the corresponding card to "Done," a space becomes available within its WIP limit.
4. Only then can the team member pull a new work item from the queue (typically a prioritized backlog) and move it to the "In Progress" stage, adhering to the WIP limit for that stage.

Analogy: Supermarket Kanban

Imagine a supermarket shelf stocked with groceries. The shelf represents the WIP limit for a particular product. Customers (the team) only take items (work items) from the shelf (pull system) when they need them (based on demand), triggering the store (upstream process) to restock (adds new work items) to maintain the desired inventory level (WIP limit).

By employing a pull system, Kanban fosters a more controlled and efficient work environment, promoting focus, quality, and responsiveness to changing demands.

References:

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/andrewdavis-io_a-true-pull-system-is-one-where-only-activity-7195264275152596992-ISd6/

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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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