What exactly is Kanban for Software development?

When a team or organisation have never come across Kanban for knowledge work, it is necessary to take a step back and explain the method and the benefits in simple words. This isn’t always easy!

Kanban for Software Development and other knowledge work.

Welcome to my “Back to basics” series. Occasionally in our practice we come across teams and individuals who have never experienced the benefits of using a certain method or practice to achieve an improvement of some sort. In this case we are going to explore using Kanban to help manage work. When a team or organisation have never come across Kanban for knowledge work, it is necessary to take a step back and explain the method and the benefits in simple words. This isn’t always easy! When we have become well too familiar with something we seem to forget how to explain it to beginners. I believe the appropriate term is “the curse of knowledge” - when we are so used to a particular skill or subject, that we forget that we need to go back to basics when teaching people who have never experienced it. 
Of course, you may come across instances when even the simplest explanation and your best efforts to go back to basics will not work very well but at least you’ll know you’ve tried your best to help. With this in mind I have prepared the text below as a simple introduction to the benefits of Kanban for knowledge work.

​Kanban is a visual project management tool that originated from the manufacturing industry in Japan. The word "kanban" means "billboard" or "signboard," and the technique was initially used to manage the production of goods in factories. However, over the years, the Kanban method has evolved, and it is now widely used in the knowledge work industry. In this article, we will explore the benefits of using Kanban for knowledge work.

​What is Kanban?

Before we delve into the benefits of Kanban, it is essential to understand what it is. Kanban is a visual system that allows teams to make all their work visible, limit their work in progress, and focus on completing their tasks. A Kanban board is typically divided into columns that represent the different steps required to complete a piece of work. For instance, a software development team might have the following columns: To Do, In Development, Ready to review, In Review and Done. Tasks are represented by cards or sticky notes, and team members move them across the board as they complete each stage.

​The Benefits of Using Kanban for Knowledge Work

1. Improves Workflow​ - One of the most important benefits of using Kanban for knowledge work is that it improves workflow. The visual nature of Kanban makes it easy for team members to see what needs to be done, what is being worked on, and what has been completed. This enables teams to prioritise their work and focus on the most critical tasks, resulting in increased productivity and efficiency. There are more advanced practices you could use to improve workflow which we can review in a separate article later on. ​
2. Reduces Overburdening - Another benefit of using Kanban is that it helps to reduce overburdening. Overburdening occurs when team members are assigned too many tasks, resulting in work overload and burnout. Kanban helps to prevent this by limiting the number of tasks that can be worked on at any given time. This ensures that team members can focus on completing their tasks without feeling overwhelmed.
3. Increases Collaboration - Kanban also promotes collaboration among team members. Since the Kanban board is visible to everyone, team members can easily see what others are working on and provide assistance where needed. This fosters a culture of collaboration and teamwork, which is essential for the success of any project.
4. Encourages Continuous Improvement - Kanban encourages continuous improvement by providing teams with a way to measure their performance. By tracking the time it takes to complete each task and the number of tasks completed, teams can identify areas where they can improve their efficiency. This leads to a culture of continuous improvement, where teams are always looking for ways to optimise their workflow and increase their productivity.
5. Provides Transparency - Transparency is essential in knowledge work, and Kanban provides teams with a way to achieve it. Since the Kanban board is visible to everyone, team members can see what others are working on and how their work fits into the larger picture. This creates a shared understanding of the project's goals and ensures that everyone is working towards the same objectives.
6. Improves Communication - Effective communication is crucial in any team, and Kanban helps to improve communication by providing a visual representation of the project's progress. Team members can easily see what tasks are being worked on, who is responsible for each task, and when it is due. This eliminates the need for constant status updates and ensures that everyone is on the same page.
7. Increases Flexibility - Kanban provides teams with the flexibility they need to adapt to changing circumstances. Since the Kanban board is visible to everyone, it is easy to see if a task is blocked or if a new task needs to be added. This allows teams to quickly adjust their workflow and prioritise tasks as needed, ensuring that they can respond quickly to changing requirements.

In conclusion, the above benefits prove that Kanban is a powerful tool that can help knowledge workers improve the flow of their work, reduce overburdening, increase collaboration, encourage continuous improvement, provide transparency, improve communication, and increase flexibility.

Further reading

• https://prokanban.org/
• kanban university
• https://kanbanbooks.com/essential-kanban-condensed/ - free e-book

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​Kanban coaching

If you are interested in improving your processes then you probably liked the benefits of Kanban. Some people find it easy to implement Kanban on their own but others require a bit of help. Perhaps you or your team can benefit from our Agile Delivery Kanban coaching? Please get in touch with us to arrange an initial, no-obligation, consultation and see if we can help you.