What is Kanban Coaching?
Kanban coaching is a process aimed at helping teams implement and optimize the Kanban methodology within their workflows, particularly in software development. Kanban, which emphasizes visualizing work, limiting work in progress (WIP), and maximizing flow, requires specific practices and principles to be effective.
A Kanban coach assists teams in understanding and adopting these principles by providing guidance, training, and support. This coaching typically involves:
- Assessment: Evaluating the current workflow, processes, and challenges faced by the team to identify improvement areas.
- Visualization: Helping teams create a Kanban board that represents their workflow visually, showcasing tasks, teams, and progress.
- Limit WIP: Advising on setting work-in-progress limits to enhance focus and efficiency, reducing task switching and delays.
- Metrics: Introducing key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure flow, lead time, and cycle time, enabling data-driven decision making.
- Continuous Improvement: Fostering a culture of continuous feedback and iteration to refine processes and eliminate waste.
Ultimately, Kanban coaching helps teams become more agile, improve collaboration, and deliver high-quality software more efficiently, aligning with the principles of Agile development.