Kanban explained
Cards move left to right as work progresses, so everyone can see what is happening and where work piles up. The work-in-progress limit is the important part: finish before you start something new.
It suits teams and individuals whose work arrives continuously rather than in fixed sprints.
Try it today
- Make three columns: To do, Doing, Done.
- Put every current task on a card.
- Allow no more than three cards in Doing at any time.
Where it comes from
Kanban began at Toyota in the late 1940s, where Taiichi Ohno used cards to signal when to produce more parts. David J. Anderson adapted it for software and knowledge work in the mid-2000s.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Kanban?
- Kanban is a way to manage work on a board of columns, such as To do, Doing and Done, with a limit on how many tasks can be in progress at once.
- Where does Kanban come from?
- Kanban began at Toyota in the late 1940s, where Taiichi Ohno used cards to signal when to produce more parts. David J. Anderson adapted it for software and knowledge work in the mid-2000s.
- How do I start with Kanban?
- Make three columns: To do, Doing, Done. Put every current task on a card. Allow no more than three cards in Doing at any time.
- Which tools help with Kanban?
- Tools in our directory that help include Trello, Kanban for Obsidian, Linear, Asana. Each has its own page with pricing, pros and cons.