Kanban Method for the PMP Exam

Kanban Method

Kanban is a visual method for managing work that emphasizes continuous delivery without overloading the team. Unlike Scrum, Kanban does not use time-boxed iterations.

Kanban Principles

1. Start with what you do now — No dramatic changes to existing processes
2. Agree to pursue incremental, evolutionary change
3. Respect current roles, responsibilities, and titles
4. Encourage acts of leadership at all levels

Kanban Practices

1. Visualize the workflow — Board with columns for each stage
2. Limit Work in Progress (WIP) — Maximum items per stage
3. Manage flow — Monitor, measure, and optimize throughput
4. Make policies explicit — Clear criteria for moving items
5. Implement feedback loops — Regular reviews and meetings
6. Improve collaboratively, evolve experimentally

WIP Limits — Why They Matter

WIP limits are the defining feature of Kanban. They prevent:

• Team overload and context switching
• Bottlenecks from becoming invisible
• Work piling up in one stage

Little's Law: Lead Time = WIP / Throughput. Reducing WIP directly reduces lead time.

Related Study Resources

• Agile & Scrum Cheat Sheet
• Topic: Agile Methodology