Collaboration is always a tricky thing to do, especially with hundreds of people working on the same project. It’s hard to see who’s responsible for what, on which stage the work is right now, and what work is left to do.
Luckily, the Kanban method is here to solve these problems. You can always use a physical Kanban board to visualize your work, but, how do you choose the right tool to implement this method when it’s time to scale? Introducing Kanban Zone, the simple Kanban tool that actually adopts the Kanban method and offers Agile and Kanban coaching. Kanban Zone is used by companies across all industries, including Mastercard, LG Electronic, and DBM Global.
Co-Founder of Kanban Zone
Recently we talked with Dimitri Ponomareff, the co-founder of Kanban Zone. Dimitri has been an Agile Coach for more than 20 years, focusing on Kanban and Lean IT.
What is Kanban Zone?
Kanban Zone is the most effective Kanban software that you can use to visualize any workflow that you can imagine. Kanban itself is a Japanese concept first introduced in manufacturing, that can be translated into ‘signboard’ or ‘billboard’. In a Kanban board, your process is represented in a series of columns on a board. The work is visualized as cards, which then will flow from one column to another. Kanban provides a visual for both the workflow and the work that goes through the workflow.
What inspired the creation of Kanban Zone?
I met Kristen, the co-founder of Kanban Zone, in 2006. We met at a large Agile transformation of 30+ teams, working together with other Agile coaches. Then, we started to work together as full-time Agile coaches.
In 2008, working with one of our clients we created a physical Kanban board to help the data warehouse team. Then we created a second Kanban board for their Finance department. Quickly, they were addicted to streamlining their workflow.
These physical Kanban boards worked well until it’s time to scale. We were looking for a software alternative, but we couldn’t find any that could replicate the flexibility of a physical Kanban board. This flexibility is the key to success when implementing the Kanban methodology, because the team needs to design the ideal board to efficiently complete their work. And sometimes, the board doesn’t have perfect “tic-tac-toe” grids like what we see in other tools with Kanban views. Most times, the team needs the flexibility to recreate online the board that improves flow, but also acts as an information radiator. We call these hybrid boards that can help teams visualize their work exactly as they would on a wall, but with online collaboration and metrics.
We weren’t able to find tools that offer this feature, so we created Kanban Zone.
What are the properties of Kanban? Why does it work?
The five properties of Kanban are Visualize the Workflow, Limit Work-in-Progress (WIP), Measure and Manage Flow, Explicit Process Policies, and Process Improvement. These properties also describe the steps of Kanban implementation.
First, the team must visualize the current workflow. Processes are broken down into steps, which then will be translated into columns. Second, WIP limits control the number of tasks that are being done. This is crucial for exposing bottlenecks and maximizing workflow efficiency. The third step, Measure and Manage Flow, is done when the team is doing the work and using the board. Kanban Zone will provide important metrics about the board, so that the team can see if the current process is working well. Next, process policies that are displayed on the board will make sure that the whole team is reminded of how the work should ideally flow to completion. Lastly, the team should be able to continuously improve the current process and modify the board accordingly.
Where do companies usually go wrong in implementing a kanban board?
Seeking to create the perfect board the first time around is the most damaging mistake. Instead, starting with a simple board that is meant to be good enough to flow a few cards is the best way to start. A key concept in Kanban board building is to learn from actual cards and team interactions, to continuously improve the board based on empirical data.
Another key mistake is to have a single “expert” build the board, it’s always best to build your Kanban board as a team building exercise. The team will always provide better insight about the current process, which is always what you must strive to create first. If you start with the ideal way of working, the current work and team members will struggle to mix current and new ways of working. Instead map your current process and then “agree to pursue incremental, evolutionary change”. This quote is one of the key principles in Kanban.
How does Kanban Zone help users to focus on the right work at the right time?
One of Kanban’s principles, limiting work in progress, helps users to focus on the right work at the right time. Both team members and team leaders can see who’s working on what, so they’re focused only on the work they’re doing, but they’re provided the big picture at the same time.
Tell us more about Kanban Zone. What are the key features and capabilities? How does it compare to other project management, to-do list, or Kanban tools on the market?
Unlike any other project management or to-do list tool, Kanban Zone has the Kanban methodology infused in the software. This means that the boards and columns are highly customizable. Instead of perfect grids, you get to create horizontal and vertical containers. Instead of an overwhelming number of tasks, you can set the number of work-in-progress limits. You’ll also get important metrics about your board, like the rate of throughput and cycle time, so that you can always improve your workflow and modify your board.
If you don’t know where to start with your boards, choose from our board templates that use many methodologies, like Kanban, Six Sigma, Scrum, or Waterfall. Our team of Kanban experts is also available to schedule a video call to provide one-on-one support for your specific needs.
We also offer more advanced features, like mirror cards, custom fields, and recurring cards.
How can companies get in touch with Kanban Zone?
You can schedule a private demo or start using our Kanban board free for 30 days.
About Kanban Zone
Kanban Zone is the most effective Kanban solution. With our advanced board editor, recreate any Kanban board you can imagine. Pick from one of our board templates and leverage our Kanban experts to start streamlining your workflow.
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