What is a Kanban board: definition
Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 6:02 am
A Kanban board is therefore the main tool used to implement Agile project management with the Kanban method. It allows you to represent a team's work process by visualizing the progress of a project's tasks through the board's various columns, each corresponding to a specific stage of the ongoing work process.
Kanban boards can take two forms:
A physical Kanban board : This is often a whiteboard, which can also be a chalkboard or corkboard, on which teams use sticky notes or paper cards to represent each task and track their progress manually. The physical Kanban board is a simple and easily accessible approach to the Kanban method. However, it can be inflexible, especially for teams working remotely.
An online Kanban board : Online project belarus phone number lead management tools like Monday Work Management allow you to quickly create digital Kanban boards with advanced features like task automation, real-time KPI tracking , and integration with other business tools. Additionally, an online Kanban board offers more flexibility and allows for effective collaboration from anywhere.
The key elements of a Kanban board
A Kanban board typically includes the following elements:
Columns: structuring the work process
They represent the different stages or states that tasks go through in the workflow such as "To Do", "In Progress", and "Done". Thus, the columns provide a visual representation of each task's progress until their final completion.
Kanban cards: visualize tasks
Kanban cards represent individual tasks, work items, or activities that team members need to complete. A Kanban card can contain useful information such as a task description, a due date, an assignee(s), and even attachments if necessary.
Work in Progress (WIP) Limits: Optimizing the Process
A Kanban board should include a Work In Progress (WIP) limit, which caps the maximum number of tasks allowed in certain columns (usually the "In Progress" column). These WIP limits help prevent team members from becoming overloaded with too much work and promote a continuous workflow.
Kanban boards can take two forms:
A physical Kanban board : This is often a whiteboard, which can also be a chalkboard or corkboard, on which teams use sticky notes or paper cards to represent each task and track their progress manually. The physical Kanban board is a simple and easily accessible approach to the Kanban method. However, it can be inflexible, especially for teams working remotely.
An online Kanban board : Online project belarus phone number lead management tools like Monday Work Management allow you to quickly create digital Kanban boards with advanced features like task automation, real-time KPI tracking , and integration with other business tools. Additionally, an online Kanban board offers more flexibility and allows for effective collaboration from anywhere.
The key elements of a Kanban board
A Kanban board typically includes the following elements:
Columns: structuring the work process
They represent the different stages or states that tasks go through in the workflow such as "To Do", "In Progress", and "Done". Thus, the columns provide a visual representation of each task's progress until their final completion.
Kanban cards: visualize tasks
Kanban cards represent individual tasks, work items, or activities that team members need to complete. A Kanban card can contain useful information such as a task description, a due date, an assignee(s), and even attachments if necessary.
Work in Progress (WIP) Limits: Optimizing the Process
A Kanban board should include a Work In Progress (WIP) limit, which caps the maximum number of tasks allowed in certain columns (usually the "In Progress" column). These WIP limits help prevent team members from becoming overloaded with too much work and promote a continuous workflow.