Kanban is more and more popular approach among teams working on building software. At the same time it is probably the most light-weight approach which is applicable in such cases. What exactly Kanban is? How does it work? When, where and why it is worth to adopt it? The session describes basic rules of Kanban and explains when the method, or its elements, is worth applying in software development teams. Comparisons to both: formal approaches and agile methods, with special focus on Scrum, help to understand Kanban specifics and learn when it might be a suitable option for teams.

1. Kanban
Paweł Brodzinski
@pawelbrodzinski

2. About me
VSoft
http://vsoft.pl
Blog
http://blog.brodzinski.com
Twitter
@pawelbrodzinski

3. Where is Kanban from?

4. PRIORITY
ID DUE DATE
Kanban: ITEM NAME
DATE FROM
DATE TO

5. Kanban is an approach to change
management. It isn’t a software
development or project management
lifecycle or process.
David Anderson

6. Kanban
Visualize workflow
Limit WIP (Work In Progress)
Manage flow
Make policies explicit
Improve collaboratively

7. Kanban
Start with what you have
Agree to pursue incremental,
evolutionary change
Respect current environment (process,
responsibilities, roles, etc.)

8. Scrum versus Kanban

9. Scrum versus Kanban
Team
SM PO
TEAM

10. Scrum versus Kanban
Process

11. Scrum versus Kanban
Time boxing/cadence
Release Retro Planning

12. Kanban
Start with what you have
Agree to pursue incremental,
evolutionary change
Respect current environment (process,
responsibilities, roles, etc.)

13. Kanban + PMBOK?

14. Kanban
Visualize workflow
Limit WIP
Manage flow
Make policies explicit
Improve collaboratively

15. World steering center

16. The simplest Kanban board
TO DO ONGOING DONE
2

17. Kanban board
BACKLOG TO DO DEVELOPMENT TESTING DEPLOYMENT DONE
2 3 DONE
ONGOING
3 DONE
ONGOING
2
L

18. Hand-offs
BACKLOG TO DO DEVELOPMENT TESTING DEPLOYMENT DONE
2 3 DONE
ONGOING
3 DONE
ONGOING
2
L

19. Who does what?
BACKLOG TO DO DEVELOPMENT TESTING DEPLOYMENT DONE
2 3 DONE
ONGOING
3 DONE
ONGOING
2
L

20. Blockers
BACKLOG TO DO DEVELOPMENT TESTING DEPLOYMENT DONE
2 3 DONE
ONGOING
3 DONE
ONGOING
2
L

21. Classes of service
BACKLOG TO DO DEVELOPMENT TESTING DEPLOYMENT DONE
2 3 DONE
ONGOING
3 DONE
ONGOING
2
L

22. ID
WORK ITEM

24. PRIORITY
ID DUE DATE
ITEM NAME
DATE FROM ESTIMATED
DATE TO SPENT
SIZE

25. Kanban
Visualize workflow
Limit WIP
Manage flow
Make policies explicit
Improve collaboratively

26. BACKLOG TO DO DEVELOPMENT TESTING DEPLOYMENT DONE
2 3 DONE
ONGOING
3 DONE
ONGOING
2
L

27. Kanban
Visualize workflow
Limit WIP
Manage flow
Make policies explicit
Improve collaboratively

28. Why WIP limits?
5O

29. How to set limits
BACKLOG TO DO DEVELOPMENT TESTING DEPLOYMENT DONE
? ? DONE
ONGOING
?DONE
ONGOING
?
L

30. WIP limits different way
BACKLOG TO DO DEVELOPMENT TESTING DEPLOYMENT DONE
ONGOING DONE ONGOING DONE
L

31. Kanban
Visualize workflow
Limit WIP
Manage flow
Make policies explicit
Improve collaboratively

32. BACKLOG TO DO DEVELOPMENT TESTING DEPLOYMENT DONE
2 3 DONE
ONGOING
3 DONE
ONGOING
2
L
WIP

33. START HERE

34. You need team buy-in

35. Value stream mapping

36. Upstream/downstream process
TO DO ONGOING DONE
2

37. Upstream/downstream process
BACKLOG TO DO DEVELOPMENT TESTING DEPLOYMENT DONE
2 3 DONE
ONGOING
3 DONE
ONGOING
2
L

38. The simpler the better

39. One or many boards?

40. Alternative Kanban board designs

41. Kanban
Visualize workflow
Limit WIP
Manage flow
Make policies explicit
Improve collaboratively

42. What’s in it for me?

43. Everyday informed decisions
BACKLOG TO DO DEVELOPMENT TESTING DEPLOYMENT DONE
2 3 DONE
ONGOING
3 DONE
ONGOING
2
L

44. Behavior changes
BACKLOG TO DO DEVELOPMENT TESTING DEPLOYMENT DONE
2 3 DONE
ONGOING
3 DONE
ONGOING
2
L

45. Best engineering practices

46. Continuous improvement

47. Thank you
Questions?
Paweł Brodzinski
blog.brodzinski.com
vsoft.pl
@pawelbrodzinski