Agile Glossary 101: Kanban

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What is Kanban?

Kanban is a visual system for managing work in process. Work items are visualized on a kanban board so that every team member can see the progress of each piece of work at all times. As a result, Kanban is one of the most popular frameworks for implementing DevOps and agile software development.

Kanban boards are composed of columns, with each column representing a stage of work (e.g., To Do, In Progress, Done). Tasks are tracked with cards that move from left to right across the board as they progress through each stage. By visualizing their workflow, teams can prioritize tasks, identify bottlenecks, and optimize their process.

How is Kanban Used?

Kanban is used to help teams improve their workflow and increase their efficiency. By tracking tasks and seeing them visually represented on a board, teams can better plan and prioritize their work. This leads to improved collaboration and communication, which in turn results in faster delivery of projects.

Kanban can also help teams identify potential problems early on and take preventative measures before they become major issues. This framework also encourages continuous improvement of processes as teams can identify and address areas where they may be inefficient or wasting resources.

Benefits of Using the Kanban System

Kanban is a great tool for teams looking to improve their workflow. The best part is that it can be easily customized and adjusted to fit the needs of any team. Here are a few of the main benefits of using a Kanban system:

• Focus on continuous and on-time delivery

• Increased productivity

• Improved communication and collaboration

• Faster problem solving

• Reduced waste and errors

• Allows team ability to focus