Shortest Possible Kanban Definition

and why it matters for scaling

Andy Carmichael xprocess.blogspot.co.uk@andycarmich

#lkuk13

Value Δ

Value Δ

Value Δ

Value Δ

Value Δ

Value Δ

What is Kanban?

An approach for managing and improving the flow of value from knowledge work?

IdeaIdeaIdea Process

Principal Sources

kanban: Lean / TPS concept

The Kanban Method: Anderson (Blue Book)

Personal Kanban: Benson

Other Kanbans?

What is Kanban?

Really 3 questions:1. What is a kanban?

a visual signal

2. What is a kanban system?system that manages work using (real or virtual)

kanbans to control the flow.

3. What is the Kanban method?approach to defining and improving kanban

systems

… so what’s the Kanban method?

Starting Point: Foundational Principles (Anderson)

1. Start with what you do now

2. Agree to pursue incremental, evolutionary change

3. Initially, respect current roles, responsibilities & job titles

4. Encourage acts of leadership at all levels from individual contributor to senior management

Starting Point: Foundational Principles

1. Start with what you do now ...(including the current roles, responsibilities & job titles)

2. Agree to pursue ... evolutionary change(incremental, validated by experiment)

3. Encourage acts of leadership at all levels ...(from individual contributor to senior management)

Starting Point: Foundational Principles

1. Start with what you do now ...(including the current roles, responsibilities & job titles)

2. Agree to pursue ... evolutionary change(incremental, validated by experiment)

3. Encourage acts of leadership at all levels ...(from individual contributor to senior management)

Core Practices

1. Visualize2. Limit Work-in-Progress

3. Manage Flow4. Make Process Policies Explicit5. Implement feedback mechanisms6. Improve Collaboratively,

Evolve Experimentally (using models & the scientific method)

(Anderson)

(Benson, Anderson)

Core Practices (Anderson)(Benson, Anderson)

Core Practices

Make work and policies visible;1. Visualize4. Make Process Policies Explicit (including policies for limiting WIP)

Make validated improvements2. Limit Work-in-Progress (WIP)3. Manage Flow5. Implement feedback mechanisms6. Improve Collaboratively, Evolve Experimentally (using models & the scientific method)

Optimise

What's missing?

The "Lean Flow Paradigm"

Anderson: The Kanban Lens

How to adopt Kanban

1. Change your viewpoint (lean flow paradigm / kanban lens):See work as flow

2. Change your mindset (foundational principles): Start from here and evolve

3. Change your process continually (core practices): Make work and policies visible; Make validated improvements

How to adopt Kanban

Twitter version:

see flow start here with visible work & policies, validate improvements

@andycarmichAlso see: "How to Adopt Kanban"

2 scaling mechanisms

● Scaling by “not scaling”○ use service-orientation concept to balance work

flowing between different kanban systems● Scale through “scale-free” understanding

○ same approach applied to different units of flow at different time scales

3 Typical Scales of Kanban

● portfolio / organisation● unit of flow: Project, Epic or

Minimum Releasable Increment● time scale: weeks/months

● project / product ● unit of flow: Requirement, User Story or

Valued Work Item● time scale: days

● personal / small team ● unit of flow: Task, To-do item● time scale: hours

#LKUK13

Essence of Kanban

see flow (Lean Flow Paradigm / The Kanban Lens) start here (The Foundation Principles) with visible work & policies, validate improvements (The Core Practices]

Also see: "How to Adopt Kanban" @andycarmich

Stop starting...Start finishing