Kanban - BogdanViblyy/Buketov GitHub Wiki

What Is Kanban?

Kanban is a workflow management method that emphasizes just-in-time delivery, work visibility, and flow efficiency—all while avoiding overburdening team members. It originated from Lean manufacturing, specifically the Toyota Production System.

  • The core goals are to visualize tasks, minimize work-in-progress (WIP), and continuously optimize how work flows through the system.

  • Core Principles:

    1. Visualize work using a Kanban board with columns (e.g., To Do, In Progress, Testing, Done).

    2. Impose WIP limits to avoid multitasking and bottlenecks.

    3. Continuously monitor and refine workflow for better performance.

    4. Clearly define working rules—such as:

      • Definition of Done (DoD): Standards that a task must meet to be considered complete.

      • How different types of work are treated (e.g., features, bugs).

      • Limits per column to maintain focus and quality.

    5. Regularly reflect on and adjust the process (e.g., through retrospectives or operational reviews).

    6. Use data-driven approaches (e.g., scientific method, flow metrics) for continuous improvement.

  • Focus areas: efficiency, transparency, flexibility, and gradual, evolutionary change.

Scrum vs. Kanban

Feature Scrum Kanban
Workflow Rhythm Uses fixed-length iterations (Sprints) Uses continuous, uninterrupted flow
Team Structure Defined roles (Product Owner, Scrum Master, Dev Team) No specific roles required
Meetings Includes formal events (Planning, Daily Scrum, Review, Retrospective) Meetings are optional and flexible
Work Changes Changes restricted during a Sprint Changes allowed at any time within WIP limits
Key Metrics Velocity, Burndown Charts Lead Time, Cycle Time, Throughput
Work Commitment Teams commit to Sprint Goals/Backlog No Sprint commitments—focus on flow
Board Management Sprint board resets after each Sprint Board persists and evolves continuously

Key Differences:

  • Scrum is more structured and prescriptive, requiring specific roles and ceremonies, whereas Kanban offers more flexibility and can be layered over existing processes.

  • Scrum focuses on timeboxing and fixed goals; Kanban emphasizes flow and evolutionary improvement.

  • Scrum encourages cross-functional teams; Kanban allows more role specialization within the workflow.

  • Kanban begins by mapping your current process and refining it incrementally; Scrum requires adopting a defined framework from the start.

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