A project management methodology that helps teams visualize their workflow, limit work in progress, and optimize their flow
About this framework
Creator:
Taiichi Ohno
Used for:
Teamwork
Kanban is a project management methodology that helps teams visualize their workflow, limit work in progress, and optimize their flow. It is a flexible framework that can be used for any type of work, including product development.
Here are the key principles of Kanban:
Visualize the workflow: The first step in Kanban is to visualize your workflow. This can be done using a physical or digital Kanban board. The board should have columns that represent the different stages of your workflow, such as "To Do," "In Progress," and "Done."
Limit work in progress (WIP): Once you have visualized your workflow, you need to limit the amount of work in progress (WIP). This means that you should only have a certain number of tasks in each stage of your workflow. This will help you avoid bottlenecks and ensure that your team is working on the most important tasks.
Pull work: In Kanban, work is pulled from the backlog into the "To Do" column. This means that your team only works on tasks that are ready to be worked on. This helps to prevent your team from getting overwhelmed with work.
Continuous improvement: Kanban is a continuous improvement methodology. This means that you should always be looking for ways to improve your workflow. You can do this by regularly reviewing your Kanban board and making changes as needed.
As a product manager, you can use Kanban to help you manage your product development process. Here are some specific ways that you can use Kanban:
Visualize your product roadmap: You can use a Kanban board to visualize your product roadmap. This will help you track the progress of your product and identify any potential bottlenecks.
Manage your backlog: You can use a Kanban board to manage your product backlog. This will help you prioritize your features and ensure that you are working on the most important things.
Track your progress: You can use a Kanban board to track your progress on your product development. This will help you see how you are doing and identify any areas where you need to improve.
Collaborate with your team: Kanban is a great way to collaborate with your team. The Kanban board can be used to share information and track progress. This can help to improve communication and coordination within your team.
If you are looking for a flexible and scalable project management methodology, Kanban is a great option for product managers. It is easy to understand and implement, and it can be used for any type of work.