Optimising Workflows with Kanban and Scrumban

Recently, I took a Udemy course on Kanban, which provided me with great insights on how to improve workflows. In this article, I will share the key themes that stood out to me.

Many of us are familiar with the Kanban board: a board with various columns that represent the status of a task, such as ‘To Do’, ‘In Progress’, and ‘Completed’. In fact, the term Kanban refers to the card (or kanban in Japanese), which is the element that moves through these columns. This system is very useful for providing a visual and immediate overview of the work to be done, but Kanban goes beyond that.

The Pull System Principle

At the heart of Kanban is a principle called the Pull System. In many work environments, we are used to working with a system that could be defined as Push. In this model, the focus is on moving tasks from the 'To Do' column; when a task gets blocked, the tendency is to move on to another task, pushing forward multiple tasks simultaneously, even if not all of them are completed. This approach often creates a backlog of 'In Progress' work, which negatively affects the timely completion of activities. Kanban, on the other hand, proposes the opposite: it uses the Pull System, where the 'Completed' column "pulls" activities from the other columns once there is the capacity to handle them. In other words, when an activity is completed, space is freed up to start a new task, reducing the risk of overload and increasing productivity.

WIP Limit: Limiting Work ‘In Progress’

One of the key tools to ensure the Kanban system works properly is the WIP Limit (Work In Progress Limit), which is the maximum number of tasks that can be handled simultaneously in the 'In Progress' column. The principle behind the WIP Limit is simple: if there are too many tasks in progress, the team will become overloaded, and productivity will decline. On the contrary, setting a limit naturally encourages the team to finish tasks before starting new ones. This approach helps to keep the workflow smooth and allows the team to focus on priorities without being spread too thin across multiple fronts. It also reduces stress from accumulated unfinished work and increases the actual task completion rate.

Kaizen, Kanban and Metrics

Kanban is not just a visual tool; it is also a method for continuous improvement. In this context, it is important to mention the Japanese concept of Kaizen (which means "positive change" or "continuous improvement"). The principle of Kaizen aligns perfectly with Kanban, as both promote the idea of constantly optimising processes through small, gradual improvements. One of the most powerful tools to drive continuous improvement in Kanban is the use of metrics. The main metrics in Kanban include:

• Lead Time: the total time that elapses from the moment a task enters the 'To Do' column until it is completed. Measuring Lead Time helps to understand how long a task takes from start to finish, enabling the team to identify inefficiencies in the workflow.
• Cycle Time: the time that elapses from the moment a task enters the 'In Progress' column until it is completed. This is particularly useful for monitoring team performance during the active work phase.
• Throughput: the number of tasks completed within a specific time frame. An increase in throughput means that the team is becoming more efficient at completing tasks. Monitoring these metrics allows the team to evaluate their performance and identify areas for improvement.

Scrumban

An interesting concept worth mentioning is Scrumban, a hybrid between Scrum and Kanban. Scrumban combines these two approaches to offer greater adaptability and control. In a Scrumban context, certain structural elements of Scrum can be maintained, such as regular meetings (e.g., daily stand-ups or retrospectives), while at the same time adopting the flexibility of Kanban’s Pull System, eliminating the rigidity of sprints. Some of the main benefits of Scrumban include:

• Sprint flexibility: Instead of adhering to fixed cycles, the team can choose to move tasks based on their priority and availability, while still maintaining a regular cadence of meetings and reviews.
• Improvement of continuous Flow: With Scrumban, tasks can be handled as soon as they become available, allowing for continuous improvement in workflow without having to wait for the end of a sprint.
• Constant monitoring: Thanks to Kanban’s metrics and Scrum’s regular reviews, it’s possible to monitor the team’s performance consistently and make real-time adjustments to the process.
• Reduced workload: The introduction of the WIP Limit (from Kanban) helps prevent the overload of 'In Progress' tasks, a common issue for teams working with traditional Scrum.