What is Kanban Board?
Kanban board is a workflow visualization tool designed for agile project management. It is typically used in software development and other projects where tasks must be managed efficiently. The Kanban board displays all of the tasks associated with the project and allows managers and team members to visualize progress at a glance.
Elements of Kanban Board
Let’s explore some common elements of the kanban board:
Visual Signals
Visual signals are used to signal the current state of a task or project. These can be colors, shapes, labels, and other visual indicators.
Columns
Columns represent different stages in a project’s workflow. These can be configured to show all tasks that are currently in progress, as well as tasks that are blocked or completed.
Work in Progress Limits
WIP limits shows how much work can be done at each project stage.
Swimlanes
These horizontal lanes can be used to split different activities, teams, classes of service, and additional areas.
Commitment point
This is when a task or project is ready to be committed to production.
Delivery Point
The delivery point is a visual indicator that shows when a task or project has been completed and shipped to the customer.
Benefits of Using Kanban Board
After implementing the kanban board, you can start small but sustainable changes that can significantly impact your teams’ productivity.
Better Collaboration: Kanban board allows team members to collaborate on tasks and makes it easier for the entire team to stay on top of progress.
Increases Visibility: With the kanban board, managers and team members can easily view the current state of a project or task at any given time.
Improves Communication: The visual nature of the kanban board makes communicating between different departments and stakeholders easier.
Maximizes Efficiency: With its visual signals and WIP limits, the kanban board helps teams prioritize tasks and manage resources more efficiently.
Helps Eliminate Waste: Kanban boards help to identify wasteful activities and enable teams to focus on the most important tasks.