The Kanban method is a set of principles designed to help improve the efficiency of Agile software development. It is based on the lean principle of continuous improvement and seeks to eliminate waste in the software development process. The Kanban method was developed by David Anderson and he has outlined the following six principles of Kanban:
1) Visualize your work
2) Limit your work in progress
3) Manage flow
4) Make process policies explicit
5) Implement feedback loops
6) Improve collaboratively, evolve experimentally
Let’s take a closer look at each of these principles.
Visualize Your Work
One of the most important things in Kanban is to visualize your work. This means creating a Kanban board that shows all the steps in your software development process from start to finish. This will help you see where bottlenecks are occurring and where there is room for improvement. By visualizing your work, you can more easily identify areas of waste and make changes to improve your process.
Limit Your Work In Progress
Another key principle of Kanban is to limit your work in progress (WIP). This means setting a limit on how many items can be in each stage of your process at any given time. This helps to prevent bottlenecks and ensure that work is flowing smoothly through each stage. It also allows you to focus on quality over quantity, which is important for ensuring that the final product is up to standards.
Manage Flow
The third principle of Kanban is to manage flow. This means ensuring that work is flowing smoothly through each stage of your process and that there are no Bottlenecks. It also means monitoring lead time (the time it takes for an item to move from start to finish) and cycle time (the time it takes to complete one unit of work). By managing flow, you can more easily identify areas of improvement and make changes to your process accordingly.
Make Process Policies Explicit
The fourth principle of Kanban is to make process policies explicit. This means documenting your process so that everyone understands how it works and what is expected at each stage. This will help ensure that everyone is on the same page and that there is no confusion about what needs to be done. It will also help you spot errors or potential improvements more easily.
Implement Feedback Loops The fifth principle of Kanban is to implement feedback loops . This means collecting feedback from customers or users at each stage of the development process and using it to improve the final product . Feedback loops help ensure that the final product meets the needs of those who will be using it . They also help you spot areas of improvement so that you can make changes before the product is released .
Improve Collaboratively , Evolve Experimentally
The sixth and final principle of Kanban is to improve collaboratively , evolve experimentally . This means making changes to your process as needed , based on feedback or new information . It also means being open to new ideas and approaches , and constantly trying to improve your process . By following this principle , you can ensure that your process is always evolving and improving , which will ultimately lead to better results .
Conclusion: The Kanban method is a set off principles that seeks to overcome some of the shortcomings inherent in the traditional way of managing projects, especially software projects.
