How can I use Kanban in project management?

Project management can be a very difficult job regardless of what industry you are in. There are estimates that as many as 70% of projects fail to accomplish all their stated goals, which costs businesses billions of dollars each year. Finding better ways to manage projects is important for employees and businesses of all types.

A growing number of project managers are turning to the popular manufacturing methodology of Kanban. Kanban is a proven way to help streamline work, manage workflow, and ensure things are done properly and efficiently throughout the process. When adapted to project management it is a great way to dramatically improve results.

Benefits of Kanban for Project Management

Kanban is a natural fit for project management since its focus lines up with the reason projects are conducted in the workplace. The following are some of the key benefits that Kanban can bring to project management and how they work:

  • Increased Efficiency – Kanban is focused on eliminating waste, and this applies to project management. When done properly, Kanban will help ensure everyone on the project knows what they should be doing so they aren’t just waiting around for further instructions.
  • Reduced Work in Progress – One of the staples of Kanban is minimizing the amount of work in progress at any given time. With projects, this means that the work that needs to be done will be broken up into steps so only the necessary resources are involved. As each step is completed, the next individual will be able to begin their work. This will allow team members to conduct other work until they are needed.
  • Flexible – Kanban doesn’t require that every project be treated exactly the same, which is very important. Instead, it provides the foundational concepts for how work is done, and the tools for organizing it. Using that foundation, teams can plan and complete a project more successfully.
  • Managing a Project – Project managers will have all the tools they need to achieve success. Running a streamlined project using Kanban will have benefits throughout the facility.

Most of these benefits stem from the use of Kanban boards, which are an excellent way to organize and coordinate any type of project.

Using Kanban Boards for Your Project Management

Kanban boards are ideal for project management since they take all the information and work that needs to be done, and puts it in one easy to access location. Since many projects involve multiple teams completing multiple different types of work, it can become difficult to remain organized. A Kanban board will solve that issue and give everyone working on the project a central location to get work done.

 

View all Kanban Q&A

 

Free Samples

Get samples of our most popular products so you can see the quality before you buy.

 
Other FREE Resources:

Helpful Resources