Kanban View
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What is the Kanban method?
The Kanban method originated in the late 1940s within Toyota’s automotive manufacturing process. Developed by Taiichi Ohno, it was designed to improve efficiency by aligning inventory levels with actual consumption — a system known as “just-in-time” production.
The word “Kanban” is Japanese for “visual signal” or “card.” In its original context, physical cards were used to signal the need for more materials in production. This visual cue system helped Toyota minimize waste and respond swiftly to demand changes.
Kanban is a visual method of workflow management. The main idea behind it is to limit work in progress, focus on completing tasks before starting new ones, and continuously improve processes.
Kanban view in KanBo
The Kanban view is used to organize and visualize cards. This is the first space view you see in KanBo.
The modern Kanban method, adapted for knowledge work, uses a visual board divided into columns that represent stages in a workflow, such as “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Done.” Tasks, represented by cards, move across the board as they advance through different stages.
When creating a new space, you begin with the default Kanban view. This view divides the space into columns, which are card status groupings. That space view consists of groupings representing different workflow stages, while cards represent tasks that need to be done. Statuses indicate the progress of completing a card.
It’s all about moving cards from left to right!
Example: Changing the card status from Doing to Done.
You can add more card statuses to reflect your unique workflow. Statuses can have different status roles, and there are 5 of them to suit your needs.
Example: The Green Week space with the Kanban view.
Groupings are much more than card statuses. Each of them has a different meaning and defines a specific category of cards. What they represent depends on the type of card grouping you choose. For example, you can change the card grouping option from statuses to users, due dates, or even create a new type with custom fields.
By combining different groupings, you can visualize two-dimensional card groupings – Kanban Swimlanes.
Example: The Green Week space with the Kanban view and two-dimensional card grouping.
Creating cards in the Kanban view
To create a card:
- On the chosen grouping field, select the “+” icon at the top of the field.
- Enter the name of the card.
- Optionally you can select a card template, add a start and due date, or add card users.
- Select Create card.
Example: Creating cards in the Kanban view.
Learn how to:
- Create new Kanban view
- Adjust the Kanban view to your needs using display settings
- Use timeline in Kanban view
- Use Kanban Swimlanes
- Create more space views
FAQ
Can I create more than one Kanban view in one space?
Yes, you can create more Kanban views in one space and customize them with different settings.
How to enable the timeline in Kanban view?
Go to display settings in Kanban view to enable the timeline.
How to enable Kanban Swimlanes?
Kanban Swimlanes is a feature that allows two-dimensional grouping possible. It is available in every Kanban view, you just have to set the vertical grouping on your space in the same way as a horizontal grouping.
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