Kanban guide · Kanban basics
Kanban Cards: What to Put on Them and Why
Each card on a Kanban board represents one work item. Well-designed cards let anyone understand an item's purpose, status and urgency at a glance.
Key takeaways
- One card represents one valuable work item.
- Show title, owner, type, dates and blockers.
- Keep items small so they flow.
What a card should show
- A short, clear title that describes the outcome.
- Owner or owners currently working on it.
- Type or class of service, often shown by colour.
- Due date, only for genuinely fixed-date items.
- Start date, to see how long it has been in progress.
- Blocker marker when the item cannot progress.
- Link to details in a ticket or document.
Sizing work items
Cards should be small enough to move through the board in days rather than weeks. Large items hide problems and make cycle time unpredictable. Split big work into smaller valuable pieces, or use a parent card with child cards.
Using colour and markers
| Visual | Typical meaning |
|---|---|
| Card colour | Work type: feature, defect, request, improvement |
| Red tag | Blocked; see blocker clustering |
| Avatar or initials | Who is working on it |
| Dots per day | How many days the card has been in its column |
Keep the legend simple and display it on the board.
Card examples
- "Customer can export invoices as PDF" · feature · owner: Ana · started 3 Mar
- "Fix login error on Android 14" · defect · expedite · owner: Raj
- "Q3 webinar landing page" · fixed date 15 Jul · owner: Kim
Free templates for this topic
Frequently asked questions
Should every task have a Kanban card?
Track work items that deliver value to a customer. Very small sub-tasks can live as checklists on the parent card.
What is a blocked Kanban card?
A card that cannot progress because of an external dependency or problem. Mark it clearly so the team can help resolve it.
What is a Kanban card?
A Kanban card represents one work item on a Kanban board. It shows what the work is and moves across the columns as the item progresses.
What information should be on a Kanban card?
A clear title, the owner, the work type, the start date and any due date, plus a visible blocker marker when it is stuck. Digital cards can link to fuller details.
How big should a Kanban card be?
Small enough to finish in days rather than weeks, so work flows and problems show up quickly. Split large items into smaller pieces that still deliver value.
Why put a start date on a Kanban card?
A start date lets the team see each item's age and calculate cycle time. Ageing items are an early warning that work is stuck.
Can Kanban cards be colour-coded?
Yes. Colours often show work type, such as feature, defect or maintenance, or class of service. Keep a visible key so everyone reads them the same way.
Should Kanban cards show estimates?
They can, but many Kanban teams skip detailed estimates and instead keep items similar in size. Forecasting then uses throughput and cycle time data.
How many people should be assigned to a Kanban card?
Usually one person is shown as the owner who drives it to completion, even if others help. Some teams use small avatars to show who is working on each card.
What happens to a Kanban card when it is done?
It moves to the Done column and, after a review or release, is archived. Keeping its start and finish dates lets you track metrics over time.
What is the difference between a Kanban card and a user story?
A user story describes a need from the user's point of view; a Kanban card is the visual token tracking any work item, which may be a user story, a bug or a task. See user stories.