What is a Kanban Board?
What is a Kanban Board?
A Kanban board is a visual workflow tool that assists teams in organizing tasks, tracking progress, and removing bottlenecks. When asked, "What is a Kanban board?" it shows work moving clearly through stages such as To Do, In Progress, and Complete.
The meaning of a Kanban board stems from its straightforward nature, which allows anyone to understand project status instantly. It developed from Toyota's lean system and now powers teams with digital Kanban board tools such as Jira and Trello.
Types of Kanban boards
Basic Kanban Boards
Simple three-column layout: To Do, In Progress, and Done. Suitable for beginners.
Team Kanban Boards
Swimlanes, priorities, and work-in-progress limits are used for collaborative workflows.
Project Kanban Boards
More advanced and specific for cross-functional project phases.
Personal Kanban (Workflowy Kanban)
For individuals who are organising personal tasks or side projects.
Enterprise Kanban Boards
Support scaled and multi-team processes through reporting and governance.
Key Components & Functionalities
Cards
Represent individual tasks, bugs, or stories, providing clear, trackable work items.
Columns
The Kanban board workflow includes stages such as Backlog, Development, Review, and Done.
Swimlanes
Horizontal lanes that arrange tasks based on priority, team, or type.
WIP Limits
Controls that prevent teams from starting too much work at once.
Pull System
Team members "pull" the next task only when capacity allows it.
Metrics
Lead time, cycle time, and throughput are used to measure speed and productivity.
How Does a Kanban Board Work?
A Kanban board operates on a simple concept: visualise work and avoid overload. As tasks move through the Kanban board workflow, teams can quickly identify bottlenecks, particularly when there are too many items in "In Progress."
The system works by displaying all tasks, limiting work in progress, and constantly improving flow. A Kanban board tool, if used on digital or physical boards, enhances coordination and simplicity while also ensuring smoother and more predictable delivery across teams.
How Does a Kanban Board Help Different Teams?
Development Teams
Keep track of feature development, code reviews, and quality assurance progress.
Marketing Teams
Manage campaigns, content pipelines, and social media schedules.
HR Teams
Handle the hiring timeline, onboarding procedures, and employee requests.
Operations Teams
Oversee procurement, inventory management, vendor coordination, and recurring tasks.
Product Teams
Track the flow of user feedback, roadmap tasks, discovery, and prioritisation.
How to Set Up a Kanban Board for Product/Project Work
Define the workflow
Identify your four major stages: backlog, development, testing, and done.
Create columns
Put a visual map of your stages on the board.
Add tasks as cards
Add information, deadlines, labels, and checklists.
Set WIP limits
Limit the number of items that can be in each stage.
Assign ownership
Every card must be clearly identified as belonging to someone.
Track metrics
Every week, review lead time, cycle time, and efficiency.
Improve as you go
Change your board based on performance and feedback.
Common Challenges with Kanban Boards & How to Overcome Them
Too Many Columns: Keep workflows simple and combine stages where possible.
Ignoring WIP Limits: Establish boundaries to prevent work overload and multitasking.
Unclear Task Descriptions: Create clear titles and checklists to avoid confusion.
No Regular Reviews: Conduct weekly flow reviews to identify constraints.
Board Becomes Outdated: Assign responsibility for keeping the board accurate.
What is the difference between a Kanban board and a Scrum board?
| Aspect | Kanban Board | Scrum Board |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow Style | Continuous flow with adaptable updates | Sprint-based workflow that resets with each iteration |
| Work Limits | Uses work-in-process limits to control task overload | No strict work-in-progress limits, follows sprint commitments |
| Planning Needs | No mandatory ceremonies or planning cycles | Needs sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives |
| Change Flexibility | Enhancements are allowed anytime during the workflow | Changes are limited once the sprint starts |
| Delivery Approach | Continuous delivery of work items | Gradual delivery at the end of each sprint |
FAQs
You don't need software to create a Kanban board with sticky notes on a wall. However, digital tools enable automation, reporting, and scalability.
Related Glossary Terms
Buyers Persona
This semi-fictional profile uses data and insights to capture demographics, behaviors, motivations, and pain points. It helps companies understand audiences and build valuable products.
Competitive Landscape
A market overview highlights key players, strategies, strengths, weaknesses, and offerings. It also helps companies spot opportunities, refine positioning, and make informed strategic decisions.
Data Product Manager
A data-driven product manager develops analytics platforms and seeks accurate, usable data for customers. They use insights to guide product development and inform business decisions.
