Kanban Team Formation Workshop

Foundations

Kanban

A flow-based method that visualizes work, limits work in process, and manages flow to improve delivery evolutionarily.

Start Where You Are

Kanban applies to your current process and roles, improving it incrementally rather than requiring a big change.

Evolutionary Change

Kanban improves through small, continuous changes rather than disruptive reorganization.

Pull System

Work is pulled into the next stage when capacity is available, rather than pushed regardless of load.

Core Practices

Visualize Workflow

Making work and its stages visible on a board so the whole team sees status and flow.

Limit WIP

Capping work in process per stage to reduce multitasking, expose bottlenecks, and improve flow.

Manage Flow

Monitoring and improving the smooth, fast movement of work through the system.

Make Policies Explicit

Defining and posting the rules for how work moves so everyone shares the same understanding.

Feedback Loops

Regular cadences and reviews that provide feedback to manage and improve the system.

Improve Collaboratively

Using models and data to improve the process together, evolving it over time.

Board Design

Kanban Board

A visual board with columns for workflow stages and cards for work items.

Mapping the Workflow

Identifying the real stages work passes through, from request to done, to build the board.

Classes of Service

Categories (e.g., standard, expedite, fixed-date) with different handling policies to manage priorities.

Definition of Done per Column

Explicit exit criteria for each stage so work moves only when truly ready.

Swimlanes

Horizontal lanes that separate types of work or classes of service on the board.

WIP & Flow

WIP Limits

Maximum items allowed in a stage; setting them well is key to healthy flow.

Bottlenecks

Stages where work piles up; WIP limits make them visible so they can be addressed.

Blockers

Impediments that stop a card from progressing; making them visible speeds resolution.

Metrics

Cycle Time

The time a work item takes to move through the workflow, a core flow measure.

Throughput

The number of items completed per time period, indicating delivery rate.

Cumulative Flow Diagram

A chart showing work in each state over time, revealing WIP buildup and bottlenecks.

Cadences

Kanban Cadences

Regular meetings — such as replenishment, standup, and review — that keep the system flowing and improving.

Applying It

Launching the System

Agreeing the board, policies, WIP limits, metrics, and cadences to start managing flow as a team.

Continuous Improvement

Using metrics and reviews to keep evolving the Kanban system for better flow.