What is kanban?
Kanban is a flow-based workflow where work moves through columns (typically To Do → In Progress → Done) without fixed sprints. Teams pull new work as old work finishes, and limit how many items can sit in each column at once (work-in-progress limits, or WIP limits).
Kanban vs Scrum
| Aspect | Kanban | Scrum |
|---|---|---|
| Cadence | Continuous flow | Fixed-length sprints |
| Roles | None required | Scrum Master, Product Owner, Team |
| Estimation | Optional, often skipped | Story points |
| Planning | Just-in-time | Sprint planning meeting |
| Best for | Support, ops, unpredictable interrupts | Feature development with cadence |
The four core practices
- Visualise the work — every ticket is on the board, in a column.
- Limit work in progress — explicit max per column. Forces finishing before starting.
- Manage flow — measure cycle time. Reduce it.
- Continuous improvement — small, ongoing process changes.
Common kanban mistakes
- No WIP limits — without them you have a Trello board, not kanban.
- Skipping cycle time — kanban without metrics is just a board.
- Mixing kanban and scrum unintentionally — pick one or design "scrumban" deliberately.