The Kanban method for optimizing development processes

Many people mistakenly believe that Agile development is the same thing as using Scrum. In fact, there are quite a few Agile methodologies that are based on the same values and principles but differ in their implementation and approaches. One of them is Kanban, which comes from the Lean philosophy. Kanban was originally a system for organizing production and supply that makes it possible to implement the JIT (just-in-time) principle. It was first developed by Toyota, which still uses it successfully to this day. The term Kanban also has a literal translation: “kan” means visible or visual, and “ban” means card or board. Not so long ago, the ideas behind using Kanban in manufacturing began to be applied to software development. That is how Kanban emerged as yet another Agile methodology.

The goal of the training is to explain the principles and rules behind the methodology and to prepare participants to apply Kanban in practice on real projects. There are only three rules, which is why many people think Kanban is very simple. In reality, applying it takes a great deal of discipline and skill. Every methodology works well in its own context, so it’s very important to determine which methodology will help on a particular project. Kanban is used successfully for projects in the product maintenance phase, for small, experienced teams, for projects where team members are highly specialized, and in many other situations. Switching to Kanban helps many teams quickly identify problems and deal with them effectively. Kanban doesn’t forbid, and even welcomes, the use of helpful practices from other methodologies (XP’s engineering practices, Scrum’s daily stand-ups or retrospectives, etc.).

This training will introduce you to the principles underlying the methodology and the benefits of adopting it. Plenty of hands-on exercises will help you get a real feel for the fundamentals and understand them better, and they keep things engaging, too. Participants will learn how to choose a methodology, where to start with Kanban, how to carry out the core project activities, what roles and responsibilities a team has when it uses Kanban, and which tools and techniques can help them use the methodology successfully. The trainers will also share a wealth of practical experience and stories about using Kanban on various projects. By the end of the training, you will:

• Get a clear picture of what the Kanban methodology is
• Learn techniques for adopting and applying it on different types of projects
• Experience the advantages and drawbacks of Kanban in practice
• Expand your knowledge with practical, real-life examples that will help you quickly and effectively start using the methodology on your own project
• Learn to use various Kanban tools and metrics (the task board, lead time, WIP, and more)
• Examine examples of the right and wrong ways to use Kanban
• Learn how to successfully combine Kanban with other Agile methodologies