What Is Kanban? Origin, Principles, and Core Practices

What Is Kanban?

Kanban (Japanese for "visual signal" or "card") is a workflow management method that originated in Toyota's manufacturing system in the late 1940s. Taiichi Ohno developed it as a scheduling system to improve production efficiency by limiting work in progress.

The Four Core Principles

1. Start with what you do now -- Kanban does not prescribe a specific process. It overlays onto your existing workflow, making incremental improvements.
2. Agree to pursue incremental change -- Rather than radical transformation, Kanban encourages small, continuous improvements.
3. Respect current roles and responsibilities -- No new roles are required. Existing team structures remain intact.
4. Encourage leadership at all levels -- Everyone from individual contributors to managers is empowered to suggest improvements.

The Six Core Practices

1. Visualize the workflow -- Use a board with columns representing stages.
2. Limit Work in Progress (WIP) -- Set maximum items per column to prevent overload.
3. Manage flow -- Monitor how cards move through the system and remove blockers.
4. Make policies explicit -- Define clear rules for when cards move between columns.
5. Implement feedback loops -- Regular reviews and retrospectives.
6. Improve collaboratively, evolve experimentally -- Use data to guide process changes.

From Manufacturing to Software

David J. Anderson adapted Kanban for knowledge work and software development in 2007. The transition was natural because software development, like manufacturing, benefits from limiting work in progress and visualizing flow.