Kanban — Explained with Examples

Kanban is a visual workflow management method that helps teams optimize the flow of work. Originating from Toyota’s manufacturing system, it uses a board with columns representing stages of work (e.g., To Do, In Progress, Done) and limits the amount of work allowed in each column — known as WIP (Work In Progress) limits.

Unlike Scrum, Kanban has no fixed iterations or prescribed roles. Work items are pulled through the system: a new item starts only when capacity opens up (the pull system). Key metrics are cycle time (time from start to finish) and throughput (items completed per unit time). Kanban is ideal for teams with unpredictable or continuous inflow of work — support, operations, maintenance.

Real-world analogy. Kanban is a highway with on-ramp metering lights. Instead of letting all cars pile onto the highway at once (causing gridlock), the lights limit how many enter per minute. Traffic flows faster overall because the highway never exceeds capacity.

Example (Simple Kanban Board):

┌──────────┬─────────────┬────────────┬──────────┐
│ Backlog  │ In Progress │ Review     │ Done     │
│          │ (WIP: 3)    │ (WIP: 2)   │          │
├──────────┼─────────────┼────────────┼──────────┤
│ Task D   │ Task A      │ Task B     │ Task C   │
│ Task E   │             │            │          │
└──────────┴─────────────┴────────────┴──────────┘

Related terms: Scrum, Agile, Sprint, Technical Debt, Lean

Related tutorial: Kanban Boards Guide