TERM| Kanban

 

Understanding Kanban in Project Management

Understanding Kanban in Project Management

In the realm of Project Management, Kanban is a significant term. Originating from Japan, Kanban is a scheduling system for lean and just-in-time (JIT) production. It is a system to control the logistical chain from a production point of view, and is an inventory control system.

Let’s break down the term Kanban:

  • K – Kanban is a Japanese word that translates to “billboard” or “signboard” in English.
  • A – It is an Agile project management tool designed to help visualize work, limit work-in-progress, and maximize efficiency.
  • N – Notably, it uses cards to represent work items and columns to represent each stage of the process.
  • B – By visualizing your work, you can show the flow of work from start to finish.
  • A – Above all, the goal of Kanban is to identify potential bottlenecks in your process and fix them so work can flow through it cost-effectively at an optimal speed or throughput.
  • N – No matter the industry, Kanban can improve the results of your team’s work by improving flow, reducing waste, and increasing value to your customers.

For more detailed information, you can visit the Kanban Wikipedia page.

References

1. Atlassian – Agile Kanban

2. Planview – What is Kanban?