Kanban

• provides visualization method
• has real world usages
• should maximize flow, not utilization capacity

Principles

• Visualize Workflow
• Limit WIP

(no term)

Value Stream Map can identify waste and process efficiency

• Todo lists lack context and effective prioritization
• Personal Kanban provides visualization and organization to make better decisions and be more effective
• • Visualize Workflow
  • Limit WIP
• Try to focus on the most valuable tasks first and prioritize as late as possible
• Be creative and make it work with you

• Kanban is from Manufacturing
• Kanban facilitates number of process improvements
  • Software can get many improvement with a pull-based system
• The Kanban Method provides a proven mechanical for incrementally introducing Kanban to an existing software process
• Implementing Kanban can improve lead times, trust and quality
• Implementing Kanban at the team level can be done with minimal effort
• Electronic solutions are available

Kanban (kan - visual, ban - card) originated in Toyota.

Kanban

Refers to the process

kanban

Refers to an card/item/toekn used within the process.

Real world examples of kanban tokens include; airport ticket, star buck coffee cup.

The total number of items in the system can be changes/exchanges which means they act like currency.

• Developed by Taiichi Ohno between 1948 and 1975
• Originally called 'just-in-time production'
• Each stage sets out the output of the next process to choose from
• Components are 'pulled' by demand instead of pushed by production rate;

• Comparing to a highway, 100% capacity utilization is gridlock (EG, car storage)
• Response time and throughput are measurements of flow

Kanban is about maximizing flow in real world systems by controlling queues and capacity utilization

Lead Time

• Starts when requests is made and ends at delivery
• What the customer sees

Cycle Time

• Starts when work begins and ends when ready for delivery
• Mechanical measure of process capacity

c = WIP / a

- c :: cycle time
- WIP :: work on progress count
- a :: arrival rate/throughput
cycle time

We are reducing the time line by reducing the non-value adding wastes – Taiichi Ohno

2 methods to reduce Cycle Time

• Increase Throughput
• Reduce WIP

Value Stream Map

• time line of a typical/average kanban as it passes through the system
• shows both the time spent working and spent waiting for work

• do not scale
• hard to prioritize
• doesn't include context

1. Visualize work
2. Limit WIP

1. Visualize flow and establish Value Stream Map.
2. Create board with basic columns (Backlog, Ready, Doing, Done).
3. Create backlog items and assign to board.
4. Add limits to each of the columns (EG. 3-5)
5. Begin pulling tasks after getting 'Doing' to WIP limit. Do tasks based on context.
6. Reflect.

• Create a new state 'Blocked'
• Only put currently non-actionable items
• Priorities blocked items over non-blocked
• Include deadlines and time boxes when possible

• The priorities of columns increase across the board left-to-right.

This is the beginning of a new day. You have need given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place something that you have left behind… let it be something good.

– Author Unknown

• Include a 'Today' state before 'Doing' allows tracking of daily effectiveness.
• Opportunity to reflect of each day.

Productive

• Get More Stuff Done
• By limiting WIP and ensuring tasks get to done.

Efficient

• Work Smarter not Harder
• By focusing on our value-add stream

Effective

• Get right work down at the right time
• By providing context and allowing for just-in-time prioritization

• Deferred to as late as possible but no later.
• Usually when information becomes available

• Portable Kanban
  • Electronic
  • Manila Folder
• With Kids

• No items are produced without kanban items
  • Downstream (customers) consumption is specified by kanban items
  • Upstream (supplier) production is specified by kanban items
• Defects and incorrect amounts are never sent downstream
• The number of kanban items are them minimized to reduce lead time.

Required work items can be inferred by a lack of kanban items on display. EG. empty column/task

Method to instill positive change in an organization and it's processes.

Not a stand alone SDLC methodology

• Visualize the workflow
• Limit WIP
• Measure and Manager Flow
• Make Process Policies Explicit
• Use Models to recognize improvement opportunities
  • theory of constraints
  • Little's law
  • queuing theory

• Agile Zen
• Trello
• LeanKit Kanban
• Target Process
• Jira

• Make Policies Explicit
  • Add information to the card wall
    • EG. Definition of Done, Prioritization Decision Process, etc
• Limit WIP
• Manage Queue (leading indicator) instead of cycle time (trailing indicator).
• Measure Flow with cycle time & lead time with a cumulative flow diagram.