Kanban
KAN-ban
An Agile workflow method that visualizes work on a board and limits work in progress to improve flow and reduce bottlenecks.
Kanban is a workflow management method that visualizes work on a board (columns like 'To Do,' 'In Progress,' 'Review,' 'Done') and limits how many items can be in each column at the same time.
The work-in-progress (WIP) limit is the key concept. If the 'In Progress' column has a WIP limit of 3, the team cannot start a fourth item until one of the three is finished. This prevents the common problem of starting many things and finishing nothing.
Kanban does not use sprints. Work flows continuously. When an item is finished, the team pulls the next highest-priority item from the backlog. This makes Kanban well-suited for teams that handle a mix of planned work and unplanned requests (support tickets, bug fixes, production incidents).
Examples
A team uses Kanban for ongoing maintenance work.
The board has four columns: Backlog, In Progress (WIP limit 3), Review (WIP limit 2), Done. Bug reports and feature requests flow in. The team works on the highest-priority items continuously. No sprint boundaries, just steady flow.
A WIP limit reveals a bottleneck.
The 'Review' column frequently hits its limit of 2. Items stack up waiting for code review. The team realizes they need to prioritize reviews. They institute a 'review before starting new work' rule. Flow improves immediately.
A team transitions from Scrum to Kanban.
Sprint commitments felt artificial for a DevOps team that handles constant production requests. They switch to Kanban. The board gives visibility into all active work. WIP limits prevent overload. Lead time (from request to completion) becomes their key metric.
Frequently asked questions
When should you use Kanban instead of Scrum?
Kanban works better for teams with continuous or unpredictable work (support, DevOps, maintenance). Scrum works better for teams building planned features in predictable cycles. Many teams use a hybrid: Scrum for feature work, Kanban for bugs and support.
What is a good WIP limit?
Start with the number of team members minus one. A team of 4 might start with a WIP limit of 3 in the 'In Progress' column. Adjust based on flow: if items move quickly, you can increase. If items stall, decrease the limit to force focus.
Related terms
A software development methodology that delivers work in short iterations with continuous feedback and adaptation.
An Agile framework that organizes work into fixed-length sprints with defined roles, ceremonies, and artifacts.
A meeting where the team selects which work to complete in the upcoming sprint and plans how to accomplish it.
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