Skip to main content
Kanban is a method for managing work as a continuous flow rather than in fixed-length sprints. Work moves through stages on a board - typically To Do, In Progress, Done - and the key discipline is limiting how much is in progress at any one time 📋 It originated in Toyota’s manufacturing system (like lean) as a signalling mechanism for just-in-time production. David Anderson adapted it for software in the late 2000s, and it’s now one of the most widely used frameworks in product and engineering teams.

​
The core mechanics

Visualise the work - everything in flight goes on the board. If it’s not visible, it can’t be managed. Limit work in progress (WIP) - each stage has a cap. If “In Progress” has a WIP limit of three and it’s full, no new work starts until something moves forward. This is the most important and most ignored rule in Kanban 💡 Manage flow - the goal isn’t to keep everyone busy, it’s to keep work moving. A blocked card that’s been sitting in review for four days is a problem the team should be solving together. Make policies explicit - what does “done” mean? What’s the definition of ready to pull into progress? Clear, shared rules reduce friction and debate.

​
Why WIP limits matter

Without WIP limits, work piles up in progress, context-switching increases, and nothing finishes. Everyone is busy, nothing ships. WIP limits force the team to finish before starting - which feels counterintuitive but consistently improves throughput. The analogy from lean thinking: a motorway moves faster when it’s at 70% capacity than when it’s gridlocked at 100%.

​
Kanban vs. Scrum

Scrum is time-boxed - work happens in sprints with fixed ceremonies and roles. Kanban is flow-based - work is pulled continuously with no fixed cadence. Neither is universally better. Scrum suits teams that benefit from regular reset points and structured planning. Kanban suits teams with highly variable work types - support, ops, bug fixing - where a two-week sprint doesn’t fit naturally. Scrumban is the hybrid many teams land on 🙌 Lesson learned: every team I’ve introduced WIP limits to has resisted them at first and thanked me later. The discomfort of stopping new work when something is blocked is exactly the signal you need to fix the real problem.