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Step 1: Define work items that are moving through your workflow

To get started with Kanban, the first step is to define the work items that will be moving through your workflow. These items can range from tasks to user stories, or any other units of work that contribute tangible value to the end recipients.

For instance, let's imagine you are a software development team working on exciting product. Your workflow can consist of various tasks such as user stories, bug fixes, research spikes, code refactoring, learning tasks e.t.c. Each of these tasks can be defined as separate work items within your Kanban workflow, ensuring a smooth and organized process.

Let's say you work in HR and your job is to help employees learn and improve. You might create training programs, run workshops, assess employee performance, and make plans for their growth. You might also manage certifications, mentorship, e.t.c. All these tasks could be part of your Kanban workflow.

By clearly defining the various types of work items, you've laid the groundwork for a well-structured Kanban workflow. Let's dive in your workflow! 🚀

Step 2: Identifying and Defining your workflow states

Once you have defined your work items, the next step is to identify and define the different states that they will move through in your workflow. Think of each state as an activity that enriches the work item with additional value and insight compared to the one before. Workflow states represent the different stages of work that a task or work item goes through from start to finish.

Let's consider the example of the software development team. Their workflow might consist of the following states:

Backlog: This is where all the tasks or work items are initially added. It serves as a repository for all incoming requests or ideas.
Development: Once a developer starts working on a task, it moves to the "In Development" state. This state signifies that the work item is actively being worked on and is not yet completed.
Testing: After the development phase, the work item moves to the "Testing" state. Here, it undergoes rigorous testing to ensure that it meets the required standards and functionality.
Review: Once the testing phase is complete and the work item passes all the necessary tests, it moves to the "Review" state. This is where the work item is reviewed and accepted by key stakeholders or peers.
Done: Once the work item has been approved, it moves to the "Done" state. This indicates that the task or work item has been completed

By having these well-defined workflow states, the software development team can easily track the progress of each work item and ensure a smooth flow of tasks from start to finish. It also helps in identifying any bottlenecks or areas that require improvement within the workflow.

💡You might have noted that a few of the mentioned states are active, indicating that work is ongoing. To make tasks flow smoothly, consider adding a queue state as a signal for the next phase to pull that work. For instance, a "Ready for Development" state could be included after "Backlog." When a task is ready for development, it moves to this state, indicating it's waiting for the team to start. After the "In Development" state, a new "Ready for Test" state could be added to show that a task is ready for testing. This helps the team prioritize tasks, streamlining the testing process. Similarly a state “Ready for Review” could be added just after the testing state. Adding these queue states can improve visibility, task allocation, highlight bottlenecks, and ensure a smooth workflow of work items 🏄‍♂️

Similarly in the example of the The HR team we might have the following activities in their workflow:

Backlog: The team identifies employee learning needs through various sources, such as surveys, interviews, and assessments.
Program Design: HR team designs training programs aligning with identified needs by setting learning objectives, choosing methods, and creating the curriculum.
Program Implementation: After program design, work items move to "Program Implementation". HR delivers training to employees, organizing workshops, seminars, and coordinating with trainers.
Evaluation and Feedback: Once training is done, work items move to "Evaluation and Feedback." HR evaluates program effectiveness and gathers participant feedback to improve future training for continuous learning and development.
Certification and Recognition: If training includes certifications, work items move to "Certification and Recognition" state. HR manages certification process, tracks employee progress, and ensures appropriate recognition.
Done: This indicates that the task or work item has been completed

💡Another way to distinguish between active and queued states, divide each state into "doing" and "done" stages. When something is "done," it prompts the next phase to begin, ensuring tasks progress smoothly 😉

Remember, the key to a successful Kanban workflow lies in defining and visualizing your workflow, tailoring it to meet your team's specific needs, and continuously optimizing it based on feedback. So, don't be afraid to experiment 🔬and adapt your workflow as your team evolves and grows. 💪

Step 3: Mapping Tasks and Creating Kanban Cards

Once you've got your work items and workflow states defined, the next important step is to map your tasks to specific workflow states and create Kanban cards. These cards serve as visual representations of your work items and can be physical or digital cards on a Kanban board.

When creating Kanban cards, be sure to include task details such as a clear title, a description, expected outcomes, priority, team members assigned to the task, dependencies, due dates, aging time, and any other important information. Including all essential details on Kanban cards is crucial for clarity and efficiency. A clear title and detailed description ensure everyone understands the task at a glance. Information about expected outcomes, priority, team members, dependencies, and due dates helps in planning and prioritizing work. Tracking aging time is vital for identifying delays and preventing bottlenecks. This comprehensive approach promotes transparency, aids in better decision-making, and enhances collaboration and transparency ensuring tasks are completed effectively and on time.

You can use various colors to represent different tasks, such as red for bugs, green for stories, and blue for spikes. You can also add tags like "Blocked" or "Waiting" to draw special attention. Customize your cards as needed.

Step 4: Setting WIP Limits

In addition to mapping out tasks and creating Kanban cards, it is crucial to establish and adhere to Work in Progress (WIP) limits. These limits are essential in preventing work overload and ensuring that each team member can focus on a manageable number of tasks at a time, facilitating a smooth flow of work. Choosing the right limits based on what your team can handle helps keep work manageable and ensures tasks move smoothly from start to finish.

In our upcoming blog post, we will dive deeper into the significance and practical implementation of WIP (work in progress) limits, providing valuable insights and strategies to optimize your Kanban workflow.

Step 5: Establish explicit policies from start to finish

Establishing explicit policies for the flow of work items is an important component of a successful Kanban workflow. These policies, serve as guidelines and rules that govern the movement of tasks from one workflow state to another, ensuring a consistent and efficient process.

When creating these policies, it's crucial to think about what your team needs. Every step in the wordklow should have clear requirements that need to be met before moving forward. This helps reduce mistakes, avoid delays, and focus on important tasks.

For example, in a software development team, the policies for the "Ready for Test" workflow state could include requirements such as a code review by a senior developer, successful unit testing, and adherence to coding standards. By explicitly stating these policies, team members have a clear understanding of the expectations and can ensure that their work meets the necessary criteria before transitioning to the next state.

Explicit rules also assist in deciding which tasks are most important in the workflow. By setting guidelines for prioritizing, like giving more importance to urgent bug fixes or customer requests, you can make sure that crucial and time-sensitive tasks get the attention and resources they need.

Furthermore, these policies contribute to the transparency and accountability within the team. Team members can easily refer to the established policies to understand the requirements and expectations for each workflow state. This clarity facilitates effective communication and collaboration, as everyone is on the same page regarding the process and criteria for task progression.

💡To make clear policies, involve the whole team in decision-making. Get input from everyone to reflect their knowledge and experience, which helps them feel ownership and more likely to follow them.😉

Step 6: Visualizing Your Workflow with Kanban Boards

After going through all the steps mentioned above, the final one is to bring everything together using Kanban boards. Whether you choose to use physical boards with sticky notes or digital boards with Kanban software, the key is to have a clear visual representation of your team's work.

A kanban board as mentioned can include several essential elements to enhance its purpose, such as workflow states with associated activities or queues, kanban cards for visual representation of work, WIP limits and swim lanes that effectively distinguish between different types of work or services.. These elements collectively contribute to a more organized and efficient workflow management system promoting collaboration and improved transparency

Got it! All set!

By putting this steps into practice, you've started the process of streamlining your team's workflow and increasing the value you offer to your clients. It's important to recognize that this process may not result in a flawless workflow, and that's perfectly fine!
By defining your tasks and workflow, creating kanban cards, setting WIP limits, establishing clear policies, and utilizing visual kanban boards, you've embarked on a journey of continuous improvement. These initial actions will undoubtedly bring positive outcomes, preparing the way for further experimentation and refinement.

Remember, the key lies in recognizing that progress often begins with imperfect steps. Embrace the opportunity to experiment and evolve your workflow, knowing that each incremental improvement contributes to the overall enhancement of your team's productivity and effectiveness.

Good luck! 🤞

Check out more

https://kanban.university/kanban-guide/
https://kanbanguides.org/english/

Post created in collaboration with human🧍🏻‍♂️and AI assistant 🤖

Getting Started with Kanban: Defining and Visualising Your Workflow