Kanban Lab

In the opening episode of our six-part series, Soma and Orod delve into the fundamental principles of Kanban Change Management and Kanban Service Delivery. We kick off by explaining the cornerstone principle: 'Start with what you do now.' Understanding the current process lays the groundwork for designing solutions that effectively address underlying issues. The essence of the Kanban Metho...

In this episode of Kanban Lab, where our dynamic hosts, Soma Mazumder and Orod Semsarzadeh , dive deep into the world of Lead Time and its transformative impact on team performance, predictability, and customer satisfaction. 📈 Exploring Lead Time Distribution Charts: In this episode, our hosts will unravel the mysteries behind Lead Time Distribution charts. Gain insights into how these charts ser...

In this episode, join Orod and Soma as they delve into the pivotal realm of measuring team performance. Unravelling the mysteries surrounding this common query, our hosts spotlight Lead Time as the key metric in Kanban. Tune in to discover not only how to measure it effectively but also how leveraging Lead Time can propel organisations towards enhanced agility and improved customer satisfaction.

Many people perceive the Expedite swimlane as problematic, often labelling it as 'evil' due to its tendency to expedite everything. In this episode, Orod and Soma delve into the concept of Expedite, shedding light on how your system performs. If you've got too many rushed tasks, it means your system is pretty unstable. Just getting rid of the swimlane doesn't fix the issue; it just...

People frequently ask about the ideal WIP limit, suggesting that one work per person is the standard. In this episode, Orod and Soma delve into the significance of WIP limits, how they can help improve the flow, and explore various approaches to determine the optimal number of works in progress.

It's common for work items to face obstacles for various reasons, and numerous individuals have suggested to Orod the idea of featuring these blocked items in a distinct column on the workflow. In this episode, Soma and Orod discuss visualising these blocked items effectively. To address and provide clarity on this matter, they revisit the fundamental definition of a workflow. A workflow illus...

Most people know fundamental Kanban practices such as WIP limits, visualization, and managing flow. However, what remains less widespread is the recognition of Kanban as an evolutionary change methodology. In this episode, Orod and Soma engaged in an enlightening conversation with Anna Radzikowska , the Chief Innovation and Improvement Officer (CIIO) at Mauvius Group, the heart of the Kanban Metho...

In this episode, join Some and Orod as they engage in a thought-provoking conversation with the remarkable Mike Burrows , the visionary founder of Agendashift Academy and the author of "Kanban from the Inside." 📚 A true inspiration in Kanban training, Mike graciously shares his extensive knowledge and insights on Kanban, shedding light on the significance of fostering complexity-friendl...

Soma came across a LinkedIn post where someone asserted that Kanban is simply a scheduling system. In this episode, Orod and Soma delved into the question of whether Kanban is just a scheduling tool that serves as a reminder for project deadlines. They explore how Kanban goes beyond mere scheduling by delivering the right work to customers at the right time through visualising tasks with fixed dea...

During a recent conversation, someone told Orod their perception that Kanban is too difficult. In this episode, Soma and Orod delve into the reasons behind the common belief that Kanban is too complex. Orod underscores that, at times, we tend to overly complicate things, even something as straightforward as Kanban. In reality, Kanban can be as simple as visualising your tasks for personal use or a...

Kanban is often misunderstood as a method only focused on increasing people's utilisation, but this belief is just one of the misconceptions surrounding Kanban. In this episode, Soma and Orod delve into three essential Kanban practices: setting Work in Progress (WIP) limits, visualising work, and managing flow. Orod highlights that implementing WIP limits sure not to keep people constantly occ...

Are Story Points a crucial element in Kanban method? Join us on the latest episode of the Kanban Lab, where hosts Orod and Soma delve deep into the ongoing debate: "Does Kanban need Story Points?" In this episode, Soma revisits the definition of Story Points and the role they play in improving communication and alignment within a team when tackling tasks or goals. But that's not all! Orod offers a...

Last week, Chris asked Soma if teams and organizations could practice Kanban without using a Kanban board. In this episode, Orod and Soma discuss a fundamental Kanban practice: visualization. They emphasize that, depending on your situation, you don't always need intricate workflow stages displayed in separate columns. However, you should still visually represent the tasks on some form of a bo...

Soma and Chris discussed the distinctions between Sprint planning and Kanban replenishment. In their conversation, Orod and Soma clarified that both Sprint planning and Kanban replenishment aim to commit to work and set expectations for customers. The key difference is that Sprint planning occurs at regular intervals, with the team selecting a batch of work and committing to them, while Kanban rep...

Last week, Orod noticed a viral post claiming that Kanban isn't an Agile framework. In this episode, Orod and Soma chat about whether Kanban is genuinely an Agile framework , and if this difference really matters.

Soma had a thoughtful talk with his husband about making policies (rules) for their team, especially since they're new to the Kanban method. In their talk, Orod and Soma focused on an important part of Kanban: making policies explicit . They talked about making policies that matter based on their own experiences. This talk is helpful for leaders, coaches, and managers who want to guide their t...

In a recent conversation, someone asked Soma about using Kanban alongside Scrum. In discussion with Orod, they explored how incorporating Kanban practices can enhance Scrum. They highlighted how Kanban board are now becoming integral to Scrum teams, fostering better efficiency and collaboration. Drawing from their own experiences, they shared practical advice on implementing these combined approac...

Empowering Agile Coaches through Continuous Learning and Kanban Mastery In the world of Agile coaching, the pursuit of knowledge and continuous improvement is essential for staying ahead of the game. However, it's not uncommon to encounter coaches who may be hesitant to explore Kanban, often under the assumption that they already possess a solid understanding of it. In this episode, Orod and S...

Teams and organizations often fall into the trap of committing to deliver customer requests immediately without conducting proper analysis. As a result, they face long lead times and spend more than anticipated. In our recent episode, Some and Orod had an enlightening conversation with Andre Suman Pereira about Upstream Kanban . We explored the concept and how it can address these issues effective...

Many people have told Soma that they use Scrumban, which they believe is a framework that combines Scrum and Kanban practices. In this episode, Orod and Soma discuss Scrumban. They explore the origins of Scrumban, its name coined by Corey Ladas, and why it was initially called Scrumban. They highlight that Scrumban represents an evolutionary journey starting from the implementation of Scrum, and g...

A lot of people told Orod that Kanban is just a simple board and there's nothing more to it. But in this episode, Orod and Soma explain that the Kanban board is actually quite different. It's not just a regular board, but a big wall filled with cards. The purpose of the Kanban board is to let you know when you should start working on a task based on the availability of resources. The Kanba...

Organisations often misunderstand the Pull System, mistakenly believing that it grants team members the freedom to choose any work they desire or feel most comfortable with. In this episode, Soma and Orod discuss the "Pull System" and designing a Kanban system for effective signalling. They emphasise the importance of "Managing the work, not workers," a key Kanban principle and...

It's quite common for teams to mistakenly assume that they are practising Kanban simply because they have a visual representation of their work on a big wall. In this episode, Soma and Orod delved into the true essence of Kanban. They revisited the definition and meaning of Kanban, which is derived from the Japanese word for "signal." Kanban serves as a signal that indicates the avai...

Soma expressed her recurring encounter with individuals stating that Scrum doesn't work and let's do Kanban. In this enlightening episode, we delved into the realm of Kanban's evolutionary change management and explored how its principles and practices can significantly enhance team and organisational workflow, regardless of their existing framework. Unlike prescriptive frameworks, Kan...

In this episode, Orod addresses a common misconception among his Kanban students who believe that Kanban is only suitable for operations and not for projects. We emphasise that Kanban is a versatile method that can effectively manage both knowledge work in operations and projects. By examining the origins of this misconception, We provide insights into its underlying causes. Additionally, Orod pre...