Kanban guide · Lean foundations
Lean Kanban: How Lean Thinking Shapes the Kanban Method
Kanban for knowledge work grew directly out of Lean thinking. Understanding the Lean ideas behind it explains why Kanban focuses so much on flow, waste and pull, and helps teams use it well.
Key takeaways
- Kanban for knowledge work is built on Lean principles.
- Value, value stream, flow, pull and perfection guide Kanban practices.
- Pull, flow and continuous improvement are the shared core.
Lean in brief
Lean thinking comes from the Toyota Production System. In their 1996 book Lean Thinking, James Womack and Daniel Jones summarised it in five principles:
- Value: define value from the customer's point of view.
- Value stream: map every step that delivers that value; see value stream mapping.
- Flow: make the remaining steps flow smoothly without interruption.
- Pull: produce only what the customer needs, when they need it; see pull vs push.
- Perfection: keep improving continuously.
How Kanban applies Lean
| Lean idea | Kanban practice |
|---|---|
| Pull | Start work only when there is capacity; WIP limits |
| Flow | Manage and measure flow with cycle time and throughput |
| Eliminate waste | Expose waiting, handoffs and rework on the board |
| Visual management | The Kanban board |
| Kaizen (continuous improvement) | Regular reviews and evolutionary change |
| Respect for people | Start with what you do now; leadership at every level |
Lean Kanban in the knowledge-work community
In the late 2000s, practitioners including David J. Anderson adapted these ideas for software and IT, creating the Kanban Method. Kanban University continues to develop and teach it, and Lean Kanban remains a common name for this approach.
Applying Lean Kanban
- Define who your customers are and what they value.
- Map your value stream before designing your board.
- Limit WIP to create pull.
- Measure flow and focus on removing waiting.
- Hold regular reviews to make small, continuous improvements.
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Frequently asked questions
Are Lean and Kanban the same thing?
No. Lean is a broad management philosophy; Kanban is a method that applies Lean principles to managing work.
What are the seven wastes behind Lean Kanban?
Transport, inventory, motion, waiting, overproduction, over-processing and defects. Many add an eighth: unused talent. See Lean manufacturing.
What is Lean Kanban?
Lean Kanban is a common name for the Kanban Method applied to knowledge work, emphasising its roots in Lean thinking: delivering customer value, reducing waste and improving flow.
What is the difference between Lean and Kanban?
Lean is a broad philosophy for maximising customer value and eliminating waste. Kanban is a specific method, originating in Lean, for visualising work and limiting WIP.
Which five Lean principles underpin Lean Kanban?
As described by Womack and Jones: define value, map the value stream, create flow, establish pull, and pursue perfection through continuous improvement.
What is kaizen in Lean Kanban?
Kaizen means continuous, incremental improvement. In Kanban it appears as the practice of improving collaboratively and evolving the process experimentally.
In Lean Kanban, what does waste look like in knowledge work?
Examples include partly done work, waiting for approvals, hand-offs, task switching, unnecessary features, rework from defects and searching for information.
Is Lean Kanban only for software teams?
No. It started in software and IT but is now used in marketing, HR, finance, healthcare administration and other service work.
What is Lean Kanban University?
Lean Kanban University, now called Kanban University, is the organisation that continues to develop and teach the Kanban Method and offers accredited Kanban training.
How do Lean and Kanban improve flow?
Both limit work in progress, make queues visible and pull work only when capacity is available, so items move steadily rather than piling up. See pull vs push systems.
Can you use Lean Kanban with Scrum?
Yes. Scrum teams often adopt Lean Kanban practices such as WIP limits and flow metrics, and the mix is often called Scrumban.