5 reasons to adopt Kanban

Kanban is a method for managing and visualizing work in a production process. It is commonly used in software development and manufacturing. Originated from Japanese automotive industry in 1940s, it involves using boards with columns and cards to represent work items, allowing teams to track progress, limit work in progress, and make process improvements. The goal of Kanban is to improve flow, efficiency and reduce waste in the production process. I go more in detail of what Kanban is in this previous post and also can recommend reading Kanban: Successful Evolutionary Change for Your Technology Business.

Reasons to adopt Kanban

Visualizing Workflow – Kanban provides a clear visual representation of work items and their progress through the production process. That is making it easier to understand the current state of work and identify bottlenecks or inefficiencies.

Improving Collaboration – By using a common visual system, Kanban can improve communication and collaboration between team members. With that the risk of misunderstandings or duplicated work is reduced.

Reducing Waste – By limiting work in progress, teams can reduce the amount of partially completed work and focus on delivering finished items more quickly.

Adapting to Change – Kanban is flexible and can be adapted to the changing needs of a team. For that reason it is an ideal choice for organizations that require agility and rapid response to change.

Improving Delivery Speed – By focusing on delivering smaller, finished items more frequently, teams can improve their overall delivery speed and customer satisfaction.

When Kanban may not be the best fit

Kanban may not be the best fit for every team. Situations where it may not be suitable, are

Teams with strict deadlines – Kanban does not prescribe a specific timeline for completing work. It may not be suitable for teams that have strict deadlines for delivery.

Teams with a fixed scope of work – If a team has a fixed scope of work with specific, unchanging requirements, Kanban may not be the best choice. Primarily it is designed for teams that need to be able to adapt to changing requirements.

Teams with well-defined processes – Teams that already have a well-defined and established process may not see the benefits of adopting Kanban. There is simply no need, as it is designed to help teams improve and optimize their processes.

Teams with limited resources – If a team has limited resources, such as personnel or budget, they may struggle to implement the necessary infrastructure and support for a Kanban system.

Teams with limited technical expertise – Teams with limited technical expertise may find it challenging to set up and maintain the necessary technology and tools required for a Kanban system.

In conclusion, Kanban provides a simple, yet effective way for teams to manage their work and continuously improve their processes. It is important to consider the specific needs and constraints of a team before adopting Kanban or any other method. In some cases, a different method or a combination of methods may be a better fit.