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Kanba Summary

VFQ Cheat Sheet: Kanban (Principles, Practices and Benefits) đź’ˇ

This cheat sheet summarises the core concepts from the Emergn publication, "Kanban", which introduces the Kanban Principles, Practices and Benefits.

Core Philosophy and Origins

  • Originally developed by Taiichi Ohno at Toyota in the 1950s for "just-in-time" manufacturing, the modern Kanban Method for software is credited to David Anderson (2004).
  • Unlike other frameworks that require total restructuring, Kanban is evolutionary, meaning it starts with what you do now and encourages incremental changes to improve flow and quality.

The four Core Principles

  1. Start with what you do now: Kanban does not require an immediate overhaul of your current system; it begins with your existing processes.

  2. Agree to pursue incremental, evolutionary change: The method focuses on continuous, small improvements rather than radical, disruptive shifts.

  3. Respect the current process, roles, responsibilities, and titles: By acknowledging the value in the current setup, Kanban reduces initial resistance to change.

  4. Encourage acts of leadership at all levels: Leadership and improvement ideas are expected from everyone in the organization, not just from senior management.

The Six Core Practices

The book centers on six essential practices designed to optimize workflow:

  1. Visualise Workflow: Use a "card wall" or kanban board to make invisible knowledge work visible, allowing teams to see work status and identify bottlenecks.

  2. Limit Work in Progress (WIP): Set strict limits on how many tasks can be in a certain state at once to reduce queues and enable faster delivery.

  3. Measure and Manage Flow: Use tools like Cumulative Flow Diagrams (CFD) to track lead times and pinpoint pinch points.

  4. Make Process Policies Explicit: Define clear rules (e.g., Service Level Agreements or "ready" criteria) so the team has a shared understanding of how work is handled.

  5. Implement Feedback Loops: Use regular events like the Daily Stand-up, Operations Reviews, and Improvement Katas to ensure the process remains effective.

  6. Improve Collaboratively: Use the scientific method and empirical data (models) to experiment with process changes and evolve experimentally.

Key Concepts and Tools

  1. Classes of Service: Different "tiers" for work items—such as Expedite (emergency), Fixed Delivery Date, Standard, and Intangible—to manage risk and prioritize value.

  2. Cadence: The book distinguishes between Input Cadence (how often work is selected) and Delivery Cadence (how often software is released), noting they can run on separate schedules.

  3. Improvement Kata: A choreographed pattern of thinking used to identify the current condition, set a target, and run small experiments to reach it.

  4. Deep vs. Shallow Kanban: A "shallow" implementation might only involve a board, while "deep" Kanban involves a culture shift where the entire organization is empowered to optimize flow and quality.

Summary of Benefits

With these practices, organisations can achieve 1. Shorter lead times 2. Higher predictability 3. Fewer defects 4. Reduced waste through a focus on quality and technical excellence. 5. sw