Kanban - Method for Visual Workflow Management

Kanban is a method for managing and optimizing work processes that originated in the Toyota Production System of the 1940s. The Japanese word "Kanban" (看板) means "signal card" or "visual board". David J. Anderson adapted this method in 2007 for knowledge work and software development.

At its core, Kanban is a system for visualizing work, limiting parallel work (Work in Progress), and maximizing workflow. Unlike Scrum, Kanban does not prescribe fixed roles, events, or timeboxes - it is an evolutionary change approach that can be applied on top of existing processes.

The 6 Core Practices of Kanban

1. Visualize the Workflow

All work is made visible on a Kanban board. The board shows:

• Columns: The various phases of the work process (e.g., Backlog, In Progress, Review, Done)
• Cards: Individual units of work (tasks, user stories, tickets)
• Swimlanes: Horizontal subdivisions for different work types or teams
• Blockers: Visual marking of blocked tasks

Through visualization, bottlenecks, waiting times, and problems become immediately visible.

2. Limit Work in Progress (WIP)

WIP limits restrict the number of tasks that can be in a column or in the entire system simultaneously:

• Focus: Less multitasking, more completion
• Flow: "Stop starting, start finishing"
• Bottleneck detection: When a column is full, the problem must be resolved
• Quality: Less simultaneous work means fewer errors

Example: A column "In Development" with WIP limit 3 means: A maximum of 3 tasks may be worked on simultaneously. Only when one is finished can the next be pulled in.

3. Manage the Flow

The workflow is actively managed and optimized:

• Measure Lead Time: Time from requirement to delivery
• Measure Cycle Time: Time from start to completion of a task
• Track throughput: Number of completed items per unit of time
• Identify bottlenecks: Where does work accumulate?
• Resolve blockers quickly: Blocked tasks have priority

4. Make Process Policies Explicit

All rules of the work process are documented and made visible to everyone:

• When is a task ready for the next column? (Definition of Ready)
• When is a task considered done? (Definition of Done)
• How are tasks prioritized?
• How are blockers escalated?
• How does the pull system work?

5. Implement Feedback Loops

Regular meetings for synchronization and improvement:

• Daily Standup: Daily synchronization at the board
• Replenishment Meeting: Refilling the backlog
• Delivery Planning: Planning releases
• Service Delivery Review: Analysis of delivery performance
• Operations Review: Cross-departmental alignment
• Risk Review: Identification and handling of risks
• Strategy Review: Long-term direction

6. Improve Collaboratively, Evolve Experimentally

Continuous improvement through scientific experimentation:

• Formulate hypotheses
• Conduct small experiments
• Measure results
• Retain successful changes
• Discard experiments that do not work

The Kanban Board in Detail

Typical Structure of a Software Kanban Board

Backlog	Ready	In Development	Code Review	Testing	Done
WIP: ∞	WIP: 5	WIP: 3	WIP: 2	WIP: 2	WIP: ∞

Pull principle: Work is "pulled" from right to left. A developer who is finished pulls the next task from "Ready". Only when there is space in a column can new work be pulled in.

Kanban Cards

A typical Kanban card contains:

• Title: Brief description of the task
• Work type: Feature, Bug, Spike, etc.
• Assignee: Avatar or name
• Priority: Color coding or labels
• Age/Deadline: How long has the card been in the system?
• Blocker indicator: If the work is blocked

Kanban Metrics

Lead Time

The time from the requirement to delivery to the customer. Includes waiting times.

Formula: Delivery date - requirement date

Goal: Increase predictability through consistent Lead Times

Cycle Time

The time a task is actively being worked on (without waiting times in the backlog).

Formula: Completion date - start date of work

Goal: Reduce Cycle Time by eliminating waste

Throughput

The number of completed tasks per unit of time.

Example: 12 user stories per week

Goal: Achieve stable, predictable throughput

Cumulative Flow Diagram (CFD)

A diagram that shows the number of tasks in each column over time:

• Horizontal distances show Lead Time
• Vertical distances show Work in Progress
• Rising areas indicate bottlenecks
• Parallel lines show stable flow

Kanban vs. Scrum

Aspect	Kanban	Scrum
Rhythm	Continuous flow	Fixed Sprints (1-4 weeks)
Roles	No predefined roles	Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developers
Changes	Possible at any time	Ideally not during the Sprint
Planning	Just-in-Time, continuous	Sprint Planning at Sprint start
Control	WIP limits	Sprint Commitment
Metrics	Lead Time, Cycle Time, Throughput	Velocity, Burndown Chart
Ideal for	Support, maintenance, continuous services	Product development, project work
Introduction	Evolutionary on existing processes	Revolutionary - replaces existing processes

Scrumban - The Best of Both Worlds

Many teams combine Scrum and Kanban into "Scrumban":

• Sprints and retrospectives from Scrum for rhythm and improvement
• Kanban board with WIP limits for visualization and flow management
• Flexible planning: Continuous replenishment instead of fixed Sprint Commitment
• Roles can be retained or adapted

When is Kanban the Right Choice?

Ideal for:

• Support and maintenance teams with unpredictable requests
• DevOps and operations teams
• Continuous services without fixed releases
• Teams that want to evolutionarily improve existing processes
• Environments with frequent priority changes

Less suitable for:

• Projects with fixed deadlines and clear scope
• Teams that benefit from the structure of fixed Sprints
• Organizations that need clear roles and responsibilities

Kanban at Elasticbrains

At Elasticbrains we use Kanban principles in various contexts:

• Visualization: All teams work with Kanban boards for maximum transparency
• WIP limits: We limit parallel work to optimize throughput
• Scrumban approach: Combination of Sprint rhythm with Kanban flow management
• Metrics: Lead Time and Cycle Time are used for continuous improvement
• Support Kanban: For our maintenance and support projects we use pure Kanban
• DevOps integration: Kanban boards are linked with CI/CD pipelines

We also help customer teams with the introduction of Kanban or the transformation from traditional project management to agile methods.

Common Mistakes with Kanban

• WIP limits too high: If the limits do not truly restrict, Kanban brings no advantage
• No real limits: "We do Kanban, but without WIP limits" is not Kanban
• Ignoring the board: The board is not maintained or used in the Daily
• No metrics: Without measurement, no improvement
• Not resolving blockers: Blocked cards are left unattended
• Too many columns: Overly complex boards with 15+ columns

Kanban Tools

Popular tools for digital Kanban boards:

• Jira: Comprehensive, ideal for software development
• Trello: Simple and intuitive, good for smaller teams
• Azure DevOps: Microsoft integration, enterprise features
• Asana: Project management with Kanban view
• Monday.com: Flexible, many visualization options
• Notion: Combination of wiki and Kanban
• Kanbanize: Specialized in Kanban with portfolio management

Further Resources

• Book: "Kanban: Successful Evolutionary Change for Your Technology Business" by David J. Anderson
• Certification: Kanban University offers KMP (Kanban Management Professional) certifications
• Online: kanban.university for official resources and training