Kanban method can be described as a work scheduling system that reduces idle time of a team to maximize productivity. Idle time is a “monster” that can happen within any process, procedure or workflow. This is usually traced back to some of the opportunities that are within the process. However the team needs to measure idle time and then trace it back to a lapse that occurred in the process.
This system goes a long way to help a team understand how they are spending their time you can get kanban tools online that offer productivity and tracking data that helps the team identity problem areas. This can be used to your benefit as it works on 6 main practices including:
1. Visualize
Workflow of knowledge work can be described as inherently invisible. The Kanban method will help you visualize the flow of work to make it visible which makes it better to understand how the whole process works. If you do not understand the work, flow it becomes harder to make the proper changes.
2. Limit WIP (Work- In- Process)
Limiting the WIP implies that you can implement a pull system on all or part of the workflow. This pull system will work as stimuli for incremental, continuous and evolutionary changes to your system.
3. Manage Flow
Kanban method also helps to mange the flow of work through each process. This is very important as the flow of work through each and every stage should not only be monitored but also measured and reported as well. Doing this actively also helps to manage the floe of evolutionary, incremental and continuous changes in the system. This way, the system can be evaluated to know if it will have negative or positive effects on the system.
4. Make Work Policies Explicit
Until a mechanism of a certain process s made explicit, it can be quite hard or even impossible to hold sound discussions on ways to enhance it. The kanban method helps you get an explicit understanding of how things are supposed to work and how the actual work will be done. This way the discussions will be held in an objective, empirical and rational manner.
5. Implement Feedback Loops
Feeback is very important for any business as this lets you know what other people think about your operations. This can help you know if there are any mistakes that need to be taken care of so that you can offer the best services at the end of the day. Organizations that have not yet developed second level feedback do not have chances of seeing any process improvements that is beyond the normal localized team level. This means that you may not enjoy the full benefits of the system.
6. Improve collaboratively and evolve experimentally using scientific methods and models
The method also encourages small incremental, continuous and evolutionary changes that can be used for a long time without any problem. When a team has shared understanding of theories about workflow, work, risk and processes they will most likely build a shared comprehension and also suggest improvements all thanks to the kanban method.
