Kanban

Question 1

What is Kanban?

Answer 1

• Kanban is a lean approach to agile software development
• Japanese for “visual card”
• Used at Toyta for lean production system
• “Kanban is the new scrum”

Question 2

How does Kanban work?

Answer 2

• Visualize the workflow
  
  • Split the work into pieces write each item on a card and put on the wall
  • Use named columns to illustrate where each item is in the workflow
• Limit work in progress (WIP) - set limits on how many items may be in progress at each workflow state
• Measure the lead time (average time to complete one item) optimize the process to make lead time as small and predictable as possible

Question 3

Lead time vs Cycle time

Answer 3

Lead time clock starts when the request is made and ends at delivery.

Cycle time clock starts when work begins on the request and ends when the item is ready for delivery.

Cycle time is a more mechanical measure of process capability

Lead time is what the customer sees

Question 4

How does Kanban work?

Answer 4

Question 5

Benefits of Kanban?

Answer 5

• Bottlenecks become clearly visible in real-time
• Provides a way to do agile software development without necessarily have to use time-boxed fixed commitment iterations such as Scrum sprints
  
  • Useful for situations where sprints dont make much sense, such as operations and support teams with a high rate of uncertainty and variability
• Tends to naturally spread troughout the organization