This document provides an overview of how to use Kanban boards for project management. It begins with basic explanations of Kanban concepts like columns for to-do, doing, and done tasks. It then describes how metrics like throughput, lead time, work in progress can be measured. Potential problems like having too many tasks, tasks not being finished, or blocked tasks are covered along with solutions. The document recommends adding details to tasks, limiting work in progress, and separating task types. It emphasizes fundamentals of Kanban like visibility of workflow, focusing on flow, and using explicit done criteria. Finally, it shows how performance can be tracked over time through measurement.

1. Kanban for
generic use
July 2015
Álvaro Ruiz de Mendarozqueta

2. 看板
Kanban
A visual guide
Versión 1.1
Alvaro Ruiz de Mendarozqueta; review Diego Rubio

3. 看板
Visual card
Kanban

4. Kanban
Basics
看板

5. Basic board
TO DO DOING DONE

6. Basic board
TO DO DOING DONE
To do list List of just doing
tasks Finished tasks
Whiteboard
Lines that
separate
columns

7. To do tasks
TO DO DOING DONE
T1 T2
T3
T4

8. To do tasks
TO DO DOING DONE
T1 T2
T3
T4
Adhesive
card
Tasks

9. Doing
TO DO DOING DONE
T1
T2
T3
T4
T1
T2

10. Doing
TO DO DOING DONE
T1
T2
T3
T4
T1
T2
When you start
working on a
task, you move
the card

11. Doing
TO DO DOING DONE
T1
T2
T3
T4
T1
T2
T3
T4

12. Doing and Done
TO DO DOING DONE
T1
T2
T3
T4
T1
T2
T3
T4
When the task is
finished you
move it to
“done”

13. Done
TO DO DOING DONE
T1
T2
T3
T4
T3
T4

14. Task basic information
TO DO DOING DONE
Name:
To do date:
Finished date:

15. Task basic information
TO DO DOING DONE
Name:
To do date:
Finished date: Usual but you can add
more info if needed

16. We can measure throughput
TO DO DOING DONE
T1
T2
T3
T4
Number of finished
taks: 4

17. T1
T2
T3
T4
Throughput
We can measure throughput
TO DO DOING DONE

18. We can measure lead time
T1T1 T1
Time “t” in order to finish T1
TO DO DOING DONE

19. We can measure lead time
T1T1 T1
Lead Time
TO DO DOING DONE

20. We can measure net work
T1T1 T1
Time “t” for T1 net
work
TO DO DOING DONE

21. We can measure net work
TO DO DOING DONE
T1T1 T1
Cycle time

22. TO DO DOING DONE
T1
T2
T3
T4
T1
T2
T3
T4
We can measure the work-in-progress
Work in
progress: 2

23. T1
T2
T3
T4
T1
T2
T3
T4
We can measure the work-in-progress
W.I.P
TO DO DOING DONE

24. Kanban
Some problems and
their solutions
看板

25. Do you have too many tasks?
TO DO DOING DONE
T1 T2
T3
T4
Problem #1

26. Do you have too many tasks?
TO DO DOING DONE
T1 T2
T3
T4
Kanban helps but can’t do
miracles
You have to sort, delete
and prioritize!

27. Pending column
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING

28. Pending column
New column for pending
tasks
Place here all
new tasks
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING

29. Pending column
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING

30. T1
T2
T3
T4
Task ready to
start working on
it
Pending task
Pending column
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING

31. T1
T2
T3
T4
What we
choose?
Pending column
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING

32. ERASED
Board with erased tasks
T4
The task is not ready to
get started and is not
important
Task is ready to start and it’s
important
We can keep them visible or delete
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING

33. ERASED
Board with erased tasks
T4
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING

34. More information about the task
TO DO DOING DONE
Task name:
Responsible:
Importance:
“To do” date:
Finished date:

35. More information about the task
TO DO DOING DONE
Task name:
Responsible:
Importance:
“To do” date:
Finished date:
Assign the importance of the task,
for example from 1 to 5

36. More information about the task
TO DO DOING DONE
Task name:
Responsible:
Importance:
Complexity:
“To do” date:
Finished date:

37. More information about the task
TO DO DOING DONE
Task name:
Responsible:
Importance:
Complexity:
“To do” date:
Finished date:
If you also assign complexity
we can select combining
complexity and importance

38. Choosing with importance
Importance High to Low+
-
Ordered tasks using
importance
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING

39. T1
T2
T3
T4
Importance = 5
Importance = 4
Importance = 3
Importance = 2
Choosing with importance
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING

40. Complexity Low to High
+
-
-
+
Ordered tasks using importance
and complexity
Choosing with importance
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING
Importance High to Low

41. +
-
-
+
Lower importance and high
complexity tasks, are
candidates for deletion
Choosing with importance
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING

42. T1
T2
T3
T4
Importance = 5
Importance = 4
Importance = 3
Complexity= 1
Importance = 3
Complexity= 2
Choosing with importance and complexity
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING

43. Not finished
T1
T2
T3
T4
Problem #2
Not ready
TO DO DOING DONE

44. T1
T2
T3
T4
T1
Task goes back
to DOING
Not finished
TO DO DOING DONE

45. T1 T1
T1
T1
Still not ready,
pending things
to do
1
2
3
Not finished
TO DO DOING DONE

46. Adding done criteria
Name:
Responsible:
Done criteria:
Importance:
Complexity:
“To do” date:
Finished date:
Adding done criteria in
order to know that the task
is done.
TO DO DOING DONE

47. Done criteria
T1
T2
T3
T4
Done
criteria is
fulfilled
T1
TO DO DOING DONE

48. T1
T2
T3
T4
Done criteria
If all tasks have
the same done
criteria, it could
be placed in the
section
T1
Done criteria
TO DO DOING DONE

49. Blocked tasks
T1
T2
T3
T4
The task can not be
completed (usually
depends on third party
activities)
Problem #3
TO DO DOING DONE

50. T1
T2
T3
T4
Mark the blocked task
Colored sticker
or any other
sign
Blocked tasks
TO DO DOING DONE

51. A section for blocked tasks can be added
T1
T2
T4
T3
Task is moved to the
blocked section
T1
TO DO DOING DONEBLOCKED

52. T1
T2
T4
T1
Goes back to DOING
when block is released
T3
A section for blocked tasks can be added
TO DO DOING DONEBLOCKED

53. Blocked or waiting a response
TERMINADO
T1
T2
T4
T3
Waiting a response
Problem #3,
with waiting
Blocked by a problem
TO DO DOING BLOCKED

54. T1
T2
T4
T3
Waiting time
is recorded
Elapsed time until
the problem is
resolved is
recorded
Blocked or waiting a response
TO DO DOING BLOCKED DONE

55. Working in too many tasks
T1
T2
T3
T4
Problem #4
Working on all of
them and no finished
tasks
Blocking
Multitasks
Procrastinate
TO DO DOING

56. Work in progress
T1
T2
T4
T3
Work in Progress (WIP) = 2
Limiting work in
progress in DOING
TO DO DOING DONEBLOCKED

57. T1
T2
T4
T3
WIP = 2
Work in progress limit
(WIP) = 2
Showed in the board
Work in progress
TO DO DOING DONEBLOCKED

58. T1
T2
T4
T3
WIP = 2
Work in progress
TO DO DOING DONEBLOCKED
The goal is to keep a
sustainable pace

59. WIP = 2
Work in progress
TO DO DOING DONEBLOCKED
T1
T2
T4
T3
T2T3
New task enter in
column only if WIP
is below limit

60. Kanban
All together
看板

61. TO DO DOING DONEPENDING BLOCKED
WIP= 2
T1
T2
T3
T4
T6
T5
T7
T8
DONE CRITERIA

62. Kanban
Different tasks
看板

63. WIP = 2
T1T2
T3
T4
T6
T5
T7
T8
DONE
CRITERIA
Some tasks are
different
Different tasks
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING BLOCKED

64. WIP = 2
T1T2
T3
T4
T6
T5
T7
T8
DONE
CRITERIA
Done criteria will vary
for each task type
Different tasks
we can identify task
type with different
colors
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING BLOCKED

65. WIP= 2
T1
T3
T4
T6
T5
T7
T8
Different tasks can be
separated with swim
lines
T2
T4
T5
T8
Different tasks
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING BLOCKED

66. Kanban
When DOING is
complex
看板

67. Several steps in DOING
TO DO DOING DONE
T1
T2
T4
BLOCKED
T3
WIP = 2
T2T3
Steps are needed in
order to finish the task

68. Analyzing the process
Value added chain
P1 P2 P3
Input OutputO1 = I2 O2 = I3
The output of a process
must add value to the
input

69. TO DO DOING DONEPENDING BLOCKED
T1T2
T3
T4
T6
T5
T7
T8
Split DOING
Split DOING based on
the value chain
P1 P2 P3
P1 P2 P3
C1 C2 C3
Done criteria will be
different for each step

70. Kanban
Who is working
看板

71. T1T2
T3
T4
T6
T5
T7
T8
Who is working
Responsible for each
task is identified
P1 P2 P3
C1 C2 C3
T6
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING BLOCKED

72. Kanban
Fundamentals
看板

73. T1T2
T3
T4
T6
T5
T7
T8
Visibility
P1 P2 P3
C1 C2 C3
White board shows
what is happening
1
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING BLOCKED

74. Visibility
TO DO DOING DONE
Task name:
Responsible:
Done criteria:
TO DO date:
DONE date:
Priority:
Complexity:
Management key
information
1

75. T1T2
T3
T4
T6
T5
T7
T8
Focus on the flow
Focus on the added
value flow
P1 P2 P3
P1 P2 P3
C1 C2 C3
2
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING BLOCKED

76. T1T2
T3
T4
T6
T5
T7
T8
Explicit quality policy as done criteria
Each process has its
done criteria
P1 P2 P3
P1 P2 P3
C1 C2 C3
3
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING BLOCKED

77. T1T2
T3
T4
T6
T5
T8
Explicit quality policy as done criteria
P1 P2 P3
P1 P2 P3
C1 C2 C3
3
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING BLOCKED
T1T1
T7
If done criteria
is fulfilled, task
is considered
done

78. Measurement4
Date TODO DOING BLOCKED DONE
01/03/2015 10 0 0 0
02/03/2015 8 1 1 0
03/03/2015 5 2 1 2
04/03/2015 7 3 2 2
05/03/2015 7 3 0 4
06/03/2015 6 3 1 4
07/03/2015 8 3 0 5
08/03/2015 9 4 0 5
09/03/2015 10 2 2 7
10/03/2015 9 1 3 8
11/03/2015 10 2 2 9
For each day
We recorded how
many tasks are in
each stage of the
process

79. Measurement4
Process steps
0 0
2 2
4 4 5 5
7 8 9 10
12
14
16
18 19
21 22 23
25
27
29 30
0
1
2
3 3
3 3 4
2
1 2 2
2
2
2
1
2 1
1
2
2
2
3
2
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40 01/03/2015
02/03/2015
03/03/2015
04/03/2015
05/03/2015
06/03/2015
07/03/2015
08/03/2015
09/03/2015
10/03/2015
11/03/2015
12/03/2015
13/03/2015
14/03/2015
15/03/2015
16/03/2015
17/03/2015
18/03/2015
19/03/2015
20/03/2015
21/03/2015
22/03/2015
23/03/2015
24/03/2015
TO DO
DOING
BLOCKED
DONE
Work in
progress

80. Measurement4
0 0
2 2
4 4 5 5
7 8 9 10
12
14
16
18 19
21 22 23
25
27
29 30
0
1
2
3 3
3 3 4
2
1 2 2
2
2
2
1
2 1
1
2
2
2
3
2
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40 01/03/2015
02/03/2015
03/03/2015
04/03/2015
05/03/2015
06/03/2015
07/03/2015
08/03/2015
09/03/2015
10/03/2015
11/03/2015
12/03/2015
13/03/2015
14/03/2015
15/03/2015
16/03/2015
17/03/2015
18/03/2015
19/03/2015
20/03/2015
21/03/2015
22/03/2015
23/03/2015
24/03/2015
TO DO
DOING
BLOCKED
DONE
Effective work
average

81. Measurement4
0 0
2 2
4 4 5 5
7 8 9 10
12
14
16
18 19
21 22 23
25
27
29 30
0
1
2
3 3
3 3 4
2
1 2 2
2
2
2
1
2 1
1
2
2
2
3
2
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40 01/03/2015
02/03/2015
03/03/2015
04/03/2015
05/03/2015
06/03/2015
07/03/2015
08/03/2015
09/03/2015
10/03/2015
11/03/2015
12/03/2015
13/03/2015
14/03/2015
15/03/2015
16/03/2015
17/03/2015
18/03/2015
19/03/2015
20/03/2015
21/03/2015
22/03/2015
23/03/2015
24/03/2015
TO DO
DOING
BLOCKED
DONE
Possible bottle neck due to
too much blocks
Possible
impediment

82. Limit work in progress
T1
T2
T4
T3
WIP = 2
Looking for a
sustainable pace
5
TO DO DOING DONEBLOCKED

83. T1
T2
T4
T3
WIP = 3
Try and measure
reulus
5
Change WIP
Limit work in progress
TO DO DOING DONEBLOCKED
Try and measure
results
Change WIP

84. TO DO DOING DONEPENDING BLOCKED
WIP = 2
T1T2
T3
T4
T6
T5
T7
T8
DONE
CRITERIA
WIP can be set in
other columns
Limit work in progress5

85. WIP = 2
T1
T2
T3
T4
T6
T5
T7
T8
DONE
CRITERIA
WIP limit can be set
in order to make the
process more agile
5
WIP = 3
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING BLOCKED
Limit work in progress

86. WIP = 2
T1
T2
T3
T4
T6
T5
T7
T8
DONE
CRITERIA
5
WIP = 3
TO DO DOING DONEPENDING BLOCKED
Limit work in progress
Limiting WIP in TO
DO pushes to keep
PENDING update

87. Continuous improvement6
Plan
Do
Check
Act

88. Kanban
Little law
(why WIP should be
limited)
看板

89. Little law
𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 =
𝑊. 𝐼. 𝑃.
𝑇𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑝𝑢𝑡

90. Little law
TO DO DOING DONE
T1T2
Lead Time
T3
T4
T5
T6
T7
T8
Throughput
WIP
𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 =
𝑊. 𝐼. 𝑃.
𝑇𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑝𝑢𝑡

91. If WIP increases, so
does Lead Time
+
+
Little law
𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 =
𝑊. 𝐼. 𝑃.
𝑇𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑝𝑢𝑡

92. Limiting WIP
-
Increasing
throughput
+
Optimizing
𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 =
𝑊. 𝐼. 𝑃.
𝑇𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑝𝑢𝑡

93. References
1. Kanban and Scrum - making the most of both; Henrik Kniberg
& Mattias Skarin; Info Q en
http://www.infoq.com/minibooks/kanban-scrum-minibook
2. Priming Kanban; Jesper Boeg; en
http://www.infoq.com/minibooks/priming-kanban-jesper-
boeg
3. Lean Software Development: An Agile Toolkit; Mary
Poppendieck, Tom Poppendieck; Addison Wesley
4. http://www.everydaykanban.com/what-is-kanban/
5. http://www.scrummanager.net/files/flujotableroskanban.pdf

94. LIDICALSO
Laboratorio de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería y Calidad de Software
LIDICALSO http://www.institucional.frc.utn.edu.ar/sistemas/lidicalso/
Departamento de Ing. en Sistemas de Información
UTN FRC
Córdoba, Argentina

95. Álvaro Ruiz de Mendarozqueta
aruiz@sistemas.frc.utn.edu.ar
aruizdemendarozqueta@fundacionsadosky.org.ar
skype: alvaro.rdm
http://www.slideshare.net/AlvaroRuizdeMendaroz