{"id":10727,"date":"2020-10-30T06:07:22","date_gmt":"2020-10-30T06:07:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/totalsynergy.com\/?p=10727"},"modified":"2022-09-16T13:05:13","modified_gmt":"2022-09-16T03:05:13","slug":"what-is-kanban-and-why-should-architects-engineers-built-environment-designers-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/totalsynergy.com\/what-is-kanban-and-why-should-architects-engineers-built-environment-designers-care\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Kanban and why should built environment designers care?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Is it the latest dance of long-legged showgirls? Is it the war-cry of pro-censorship activists wanting prohibition for its own sake? Is it something to do with TikTok, cancel-culture, or new ways with ancient grains, AR, and coffee brewing?<\/p>\n

No. No it is not.<\/p>\n

Kanban<\/a> is a visual work-management method applicable to any working process. The word itself is used in both Japanese and Chinese languages to mean \u2018billboard\u2019 or \u2018signpost\u2019, which gives a fairly clear sense of Kanban\u2019s nature \u2014 signalling movement through a process, much like the \u2018track\u2019 feature on your Uber Eats account. With less deliciousness and more utility, #obvs.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the Kanban method? Kanban boards for fun and profit<\/h3>\n

The Kanban method consists of a Kanban board marked out with a series of vertical columns, and cards (or tickets), which move in a \u2018pull system\u2019 horizontally, left to right, from one column to the next. Each card represents a piece of work or a task, and each column represents a stage of progress towards completion \u2014 at a minimum, Kanban boards have three columns: \u2018to-do\u2019, \u2018doing\u2019, and \u2018done\u2019.<\/p>\n

If you use something like Trello<\/a>, you\u2019ll know what we\u2019re blathering about here. If not, here\u2019s a handy pic:<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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You can increase the specificity of your board by adding columns modelled on your particular practice, but the basis remains the same. Cards move through time creating a visual picture of progress on your board.<\/p>\n

Why\u2019s Kanban so good then?<\/h3>\n

The Kanban method of work management is really useful in a number of ways. Firstly, to begin setting up your board(s) you\u2019re forced to think through your workflows in a methodical, gradational, visual way. By default, that process illuminates any steps in the workflow that are rough, extraneous, or disorderly. Setting up your Kanban board basically requires a clarification of your process, and that has lots of benefits. And friends, that\u2019s why this puppy\u2019s so popular!<\/p>\n

Other benefits of Kanban<\/h3>\n

Kanban means you can(-can):<\/p>\n