KANBAN
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Cours de Julie Chaumard
Continuous Flow in Service-Oriented Activities
Definition of Continuous Flow
Kanban is a method of flow regulation. It consists of producing only quantities that have the least chance of remaining in stock. Why a “least chance of remaining in stock” ? Because inventory is a cost for the company. Indeed, it is necessary to pay for the premises or resources that store the product or program. Moreover, it is a waste of time to have produced "too much". And finally, there is a risk of unsold goods.
🧐 Flow = Flow represents the movement and progression of project tasks
JIT (Just-in-Time) - Pull System
Kanban is a practical application of an approach called "Just-in-Time" (JIT) which is materialized by the concept of "pull from downstream".
JIT is an approach where work is performed exactly when it is needed, neither too early nor too late. This helps avoid wasting resources (Lean ;)
Pulling rather than pushing: A task is not started until it is necessary. Unlike traditional systems that "push" tasks in advance, Kanban promotes a pull-based flow based on demand.
👉 It is a system where the execution of tasks is triggered by actual demand and not by rigid planning. In other words, work is "pulled" when it is needed instead of "pushing" work in advance.
Ex: in industry (e.g., Toyota Production System), parts are only manufactured when they are requested, thus avoiding unnecessary inventory.
No batch, no story
Continuous flow refers to a work management approach where tasks flow without interruption from creation to completion, without waiting for an entire batch to be finished.
In continuous flow:
- Tasks are processed individually as soon as they're ready
- Teams are not limited by fixed cycles (like Scrum sprints)
- The goal is to optimize task movement from one step to another to avoid blockages and minimize delays
Where is Continuous Flow Used?
- Software development and maintenance (e.g., Kanban for bug fix management)
- DevOps (continuous application delivery and deployment)
- IT Support (processing user requests based on urgency)
- Industry and production (Lean assembly lines)
- Marketing and task management (continuous processing of advertising campaigns)
Advantages of Continuous Flow
- Reduced waiting time between steps
- Increased flexibility, as priorities can be added or changed at any time
- Optimized resources: no one remains blocked while waiting for a sprint to end
- Better adaptation to unforeseen events and changes in demand
- Faster and more regular delivery of products or services
Kanban in Practice
The Card
- the format of the card is open. It can be: a label, an area marked on the ground, a card in a project management software
- describes the task (or physical item in production)
- it's a manufacturing or development order
Exercice
- Use case : Significant slowdown when using the mobile e-commerce application. Create a card for this task, that would have a completed status.
The board
Co-constructing the board with the class
Limiting Work in Progress (WIP)
Through the system of upper limits.
- Each column has a limit on the number of cards:
- The limit number of cards in each column is calculated by an empirical method, not a formula.
- To define the limits, we can:
- See what happens without limits, then set limits after a few weeks when we have experimented and seen what limit would be acceptable (neither too high nor too low)
- Start with realistic limits
- Then we adjust with meetings from time to time to re-evaluate the limits
- The downstream pull flow:
- When the number of cards is below the limit:
- In the backlog: we add cards through a planning session or the arrival of a request
- In the other columns: we move the cards from one column to another.
Prioritizing the Cards
- Priorities are defined according to several criteria
- Loss of revenue
- Risk reduction
- SLA contracted by the customer
🧐 SLA: "Service Level Agreement" contractually defined between the customer and the suppliers for incident resolution timeframes and hours, such as 24/7 or only during the day from 8 am to 6 pm.
Swimlane
A Swimlane is a horizontal division in a Kanban board that allows you to categorize tasks according to a specific criterion (e.g., task type, priority, responsible team).
Swimlanes help to better organize and visualize different tasks without overloading a single column. Each row (or "lane") corresponds to a specific category.
✅ Better prioritize urgent tasks.
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Avoid confusion between different types of work.
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Improve resource management by assigning certain tasks to specific people.
Kanban Metrics
1️⃣ Lead Time
- Definition:
- Lead Time is the total time elapsed between adding a task to the backlog ("To Do" column) and its movement to "Done"
- It measures the time needed to deliver a task from start to finish
- How to measure?
- Note the date and time a task enters the "To Do" column
- Note the date and time it is moved to "Done"
- Calculation: Lead Time = End Date - Start Date
- Interpretation:
- A long Lead Time may indicate blockages or inefficiencies in the process
- A stable and short Lead Time means the team delivers regularly and quickly
If the Lead Time is too long → Reduce the backlog or limit waiting tasks.
2️⃣ Cycle Time
- Definition:
- Cycle Time measures the time needed to complete a task from the moment it actually starts (entry into "In Progress") until its completion.
- How to measure?
- Note the date and time a task enters "In Progress"
- Note the date and time it is moved to "Done"
- Calculation: Cycle Time = End Date - Start Date (in "In Progress")
- Interpretation:
- A long Cycle Time means tasks stay too long in the active process, which can be a sign of overload or waiting in testing.
- A short Cycle Time indicates good workflow, where tasks are processed quickly after they begin.
If the Cycle Time is too long → Identify blocking steps (e.g., too much time in testing) and optimize.
3️⃣ Throughput
- Definition:
- Throughput corresponds to the number of tasks completed over a given period (example: per day, week, or month).
- How to measure?
- At the end of a period (e.g., each week), count the number of tasks moved to "Done"
- Calculation: Throughput = Number of tasks completed per unit of time
- Interpretation:
- A high and stable Throughput means the team is effectively delivering tasks
- A decrease in Throughput may signal a capacity problem, overload, or bottleneck
If the Throughput is low → Reevaluate the workload and adapt WIP limits.
TRELLO
Power-Up "Trello Reports" or "Blue Cat Reports" (paid)
These Power-Ups allow for automated tracking:
- Charts and reports on Lead Time, Cycle Time, and Throughput