Kanban: Definition, Examples and Synonyms
Kanban comes from the Japanese “看板”, which translates literally to “signboard.” Originally, these were real cards that companies used to make the production process more efficient. They attached paper cards to their products and only returned the cards to the production line after selling the products. This meant that it was always clear when they had to produce new items. By doing this, they allowed production to be controlled by actual demand, avoiding overproduction.
The Kanban principle has evolved from the physical production of products and has now found its way into software development. Many organizations now use this working method in project managementProject ManagementProject management is the planning, steering, and monitoring of projects to achieve specific objectives within a given timeframe and budget. and project portfolio management (PPM).
You can make notes of tasksTasksSynonym for → ProjectA project is a time-limited undertaking with defined objectives and resources that delivers unique results and often includes complex tasks., orders, or project ideas on Kanban cards. You or members of your team will then move the cards through various phases on the board. These phases are also known as state gates. You can define them individually as required. Each project must pass through one phase at a time.
In this way, the Kanban method helps you visualize the phases that a project goes through before and during implementation. Kanban can also help to visualize progress, identify bottlenecks, and increase efficiency. Furthermore, Kanban promotes continuous improvement and flexibility in working methods. It helps to achieve complete transparency of tasks and encourages clear communication in real time.
A Practical Example
Markus works in the sales department of a large software company. His job is to process customer inquiries, make offers, and generate sales. He and his colleagues organize all inquiries and potential sales using cards on a Kanban board. This allows everyone to keep track of the order portfolio and to cover for each other when needed – like if someone gets sick. The colleagues who ultimately implement the orders can also find all the details here.
On Monday morning, Markus receives a new request. He creates a new card with the customer’s name and other important information and files it in the “New Requests” column of the Kanban board. He also enters himself as the person responsible so that his coworkers know who is responsible for the inquiry. Then, he makes the customer an offer and moves the card to the “Quotation Created” phase. Now it’s time to wait for feedback from the customer. Once he hears back, Markus will then move the card to either “Won” or “Lost.”
Synonyms and Abbreviations
There are no synonyms for Kanban. The pull principle is often mistakenly used as a synonym for Kanban. Although Kanban works according to the pull principle (i.e., products or information are only provided when they are actually requested), it is a separate concept.
There are no abbreviations for Kanban.
FAQ
In project managementProject ManagementProject management is the planning, steering, and monitoring of projects to achieve specific objectives within a given timeframe and budget., the Kanban process focuses on individual projectsProjectA project is a time-limited undertaking with defined objectives and resources that delivers unique results and often includes complex tasks.. The Kanban cards display individual tasks, and the Kanban board makes work progress visible to everyone. Kanban also enables flexibility and autonomy for team members. Depending on their skills and capacity, they can take tasks from the “To Do” section, also known as the backlog, and work on them independently (according to the pull principle). This enables employeesEmployeesSynonym for → ResourceResources are all the people, places and things that you need to complete projects. The most important resource? Employees, of course! to work through projects reliably.
In project portfolio managementProject Portfolio ManagementProject portfolio management (PPM) is a process that seeks to select, prioritize, monitor and analyze a company’s projects., the Kanban method helps you view projects in the context of the entire portfolio. This mostly has to do with the decision-making process before implementing a project. You can more easily determine whether projects are aligned with company goals and make decisions about which initiatives should make it to the next phase.
By using phases such as “Ideas”, “In Evaluation”, and “Approved,” everyone involved can visualize the decision-making process on the Kanban board. You can also prioritize tasks to focus on the most important decisions.
A Kanban board serves as a central source of information about the status of tasks, projects, or project ideas. There are usually three basic segments on a Kanban board: To Do, In Progress, and Completed. You can, of course, change or expand these segments as required. The respective tasks and stakeholders are noted on the cards. These cards move through each phase on the board during the work process. This makes it clear to everyone involved how each project is progressing.
Kanban cards are visual representations of task elements, projects, ideas, or orders. The cards contain important information on the issue. This could be, for example, the expected processing time and when a decision must be made. The person responsible for the issue should also be noted on the card.
Kanban cards move through different segments on the Kanban board to make the progress of work clearly visible to everyone. The phases are, for example, “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Done” for tasks. For new project ideas, the phases might be “Idea,” “In Development,” “For Approval,” “Approved,” and “Active.”
Introducing the Kanban method has several benefits, including:
- High transparency regarding project progress and urgent issues. Everyone can immediately see the current status of tasks and possible obstacles thanks to easily available information.
- Flexible planning, as the focus is only on the work that is currently in progress. Teams can react quickly to changes and adjust priorities.
- Shorter lead times, i.e., the time a team needs to complete a project. The continuous flow of work according to the pull principle means that projects are completed more quickly.
- Fewer bottlenecks due to fewer projects running simultaneously. The Kanban method limits the number of projects running simultaneously.
There are no special requirements for implementing Kanban. This is because the Kanban system is very open and is suitable for a wide variety of project types and companies. Individuals as well as teams of any size can benefit from Kanban.
Scrum and Kanban are both working methods that are often used in project management and PPM. Teams often combine Scrum and Kanban, but they are two different approaches. In Scrum, you work with sprints (i.e., two-week work blocks) with daily meetings and a fixed workload. The focus is on getting work done faster.
With the Kanban method, there are no fixed work blocks, but a continuous flow. This allows a great deal of flexibility, as you can make changes at any time. The aim is to improve work processes.
Kanban with Meisterplan
The Board view in Meisterplan works according to the Kanban principle. We designed it to help you see projectsProjectA project is a time-limited undertaking with defined objectives and resources that delivers unique results and often includes complex tasks. and initiatives in the context of your company’s entire project portfolio and to visualize your decision-making process.
You can easily customize the Board view to use the phases that projects go through in your company. You can use filters on the board for a better overview. For example, you can focus on the projects of a specific project manager or only projects that contribute to a common business objective.
In the Meisterplan Board view, you can add new project ideas based on just a small amount of data and then later update them with additional information, like when new project details such as required resourcesResourceResources are all the people, places and things that you need to complete projects. The most important resource? Employees, of course! and budget are available. Once project ideas are ready for implementation, you can compare them using objective project scoring criteria. This customizable evaluation criterion shows you whether project ideas are in line with company goals and how you should prioritize your projects.
In this way, Meisterplan helps you make smarter decisions and achieve better results.
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