Supportsoft Glossary

Kanban Workflow System for Lean Project Management

The Kanban approach to managing project workflows has been adapted from manufacturing methods that were originally developed with the goal of defining and then controlling how to efficiently run a manufacturing operation. Actionable artefacts (work items) are tracked through various stages through visual representation of those execution phases, which is typically called a Kanban board. There are typically multiple cards on a board that represent individual actions to move from one phase to another. The primary philosophy behind the kanban methodology is to limit the amount of work that can be in progress simultaneously, which allows teams to focus, reduces unnecessary information exchange, and allows the team to have direct access to the progress of all work that is currently being completed on a project. 

Teams can identify delays, overloaded phases, and multiple variations of the time required for a cycle. Known as being “transparent”, this information can provide an opportunity for improved planning and enable greater predictability with regard to delivery. The flexibility of the approach and its applicability within multiple industries—in particular, software development, IT operations, marketing, and service businesses—provides the ability for teams to implement the methodology in an agile manner without having to commit to a predetermined structure. Kanban boards (kanban software) allow teams to implement kanban methodologies incrementally and refine them over time as work becomes more predictable, thereby creating an ongoing sustainable model of continuous improvement for these organisations.