Visualizing Workflow & Productivity with Kanban Boards
As defined by Altassian, Conceptboard, and Planview, Kanban is an agile software framework that requires communication between parties and teams, whereas an actual Kanban board is a workflow visualization tool.
Actual Kanban boards might require sticky notes placed under a series of columns drawn on a whiteboard to communicate updated tasks, current issues, and ongoing progress of various work projects.
Historically, the Kanban technique arose in the last 1940s when Toyota wanted to re-imagine manufacturing and engineering approaches. Assembly line workers had coloured cards, called Kanbans, to notify other assembly workers downstream. Through the just-in-time production control system, more value was made to customers without incurring additional inventory costs or sacrificing productivity.
Kanban Board Examples
The first example is from Digite, which shows a very simplified Kanban board, purposed into three columns.
The second example, from Kanbanize, is a slightly simplified Kanban board.
