Kanban: an agile project management method

Kanban is a production method based on the principles of just-in-time production. It was first introduced by Toyota in the 1940s. The main principles of Kanban are "visualisation of work", "limitation of started tasks", "flow management" and "continuous improvement". It is a method for visualising and controlling work processes that was developed in the Japanese automotive industry. It is based on a system of cards (Kanban) that represent the different phases of the process. Each card represents a task and its movement through the system represents the progress of the task. The goal of Kanban is to identify and eliminate bottlenecks in production in order to increase efficiency and reduce waste. It is often used in software development and other creative and productive fields.

Kanban principles and methods

The method uses a Kanban board to visualise the workflow and identify bottlenecks. Limiting tasks helps to avoid overload and improve the quality of work. Flow management refers to optimising the speed and efficiency of work, while continuous improvement involves constantly striving to improve processes and outcomes. Kanban can be used in many industries and functions to increase productivity and reduce waste.

Three different blue squares, on the top one an icon for Kanban.

Advantages and benefits of Kanban

The advantages of Kanban are flexibility and the ability to easily adapt to changing requirements or priorities. It enables better transparency, control and collaboration in the team and promotes continuous improvement of the workflow. Kanban is often used in agile software development teams, project management and other work environments where it is important to optimise workflow and minimise bottlenecks.

How is Kanban used in software development?

In software development, Kanban is used as an agile project management method to optimise the development process and enable continuous delivery of software. It helps visualise the flow of work, improve team collaboration and identify bottlenecks to increase productivity and efficiency. It promotes better team collaboration and productivity and facilitates the identification and elimination of bottlenecks, ultimately leading to more efficient and effective software development.

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