What is Kanban?
Kanban means “visual card” in Japanese. Each piece of work is a card. Cards move across columns that show the stages of your process, from left (not started) to right (done).
Because everyone can see every card, bottlenecks become obvious: if ten cards are stuck in “Waiting for approval”, you know exactly where the work is piling up.
The core Kanban principles
- Visualise the work — every task is on the board, nothing lives only in someone's head or inbox.
- Limit work in progress (WIP) — cap how many cards can sit in a column at once.
- Manage flow — measure how long cards take and remove what slows them down.
- Make policies explicit — agree what “done” means for each column.
- Improve continuously — review the board weekly and adjust.
Example: a purchase-request Kanban board
The WIP limit of 5 on “Awaiting approval” is the key. When it is full, nobody adds more until approvers clear the queue — which turns a hidden delay into a visible one.
| Requested | Quotes collected | Awaiting approval (WIP 5) | Ordered | Received |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen gas burner | Office chairs ×12 | Printer toner | Rice 500 kg | Cleaning supplies |
| Laptop for new hire | AC servicing | Delivery van tyres |
Where Kanban works outside software
- Maintenance: reported → assigned → in progress → testing → closed
- Hiring: applied → screened → interviewed → offer → joined
- Customer orders: received → in production → quality check → dispatched → delivered
- Marketing: idea → drafting → review → scheduled → published
- Month-end closing: pending → in progress → reviewed → filed
Kanban vs Scrum
| Kanban | Scrum | |
|---|---|---|
| Cadence | Continuous flow | Fixed sprints (1–4 weeks) |
| Roles | No required roles | Product owner, Scrum master, team |
| Change | Add work any time | Change between sprints |
| Best for | Ongoing request streams, operations | Product development projects |
How DOOfy helps
A board only helps if the cards are up to date. AIMOS One tracks operational workflows as they happen and flags work that has been stuck too long, and NIMMI can follow up on pending items for you — so the board reflects reality without someone updating it by hand.
Frequently asked questions
What are the basic columns of a Kanban board?
The simplest board has three: To Do, In Progress and Done. Most teams add columns that match their real process, such as “Waiting for approval” or “Quality check”.
What is a WIP limit in Kanban?
A work-in-progress limit caps how many cards can be in a column at once. It stops teams starting too much and finishing too little, and exposes bottlenecks quickly.
Can Kanban be used in non-IT businesses?
Yes. Kanban began in manufacturing at Toyota. It works for any repeatable flow of work — purchasing, maintenance, hiring, order fulfilment or finance.