What is it

A practical session that helps a team understand and apply Kanban as a change approach. The focus is on making work visible, improving flow and introducing small changes that build momentum.

Why is it useful

• It reduces overload by limiting work in progress.
• It makes hidden problems visible.
• It creates shared understanding of how work moves.
• It encourages improvement through small steps rather than big redesigns.

Kanban began as part of the Toyota Production System, created by Taiichi Ohno, and later evolved into a wider change approach used by many Agile teams and organisations.

Target Audience

Teams who want more predictability, less stress and smoother workflow.

Objectives

• Map the current workflow.
• Identify delays, bottlenecks and overload points.
• Create a simple Kanban board.
• Agree work in progress limits.
• Choose small improvements to test.

Materials Needed

• 120 minutes
• Sticky notes
• Markers
• Flip chart or digital board
• Tape for wall boards
• Timer
• Breakout spaces if remote

Process

1. Warm Up (10 minutes)

Goal
Help the team reflect on their current workflow.

Activity

• Ask each person to write one word that describes how work feels right now.
• Invite quick sharing in pairs, then in the group.

Debrief

• Ask: What patterns do you notice?
• Capture common themes.

2. Introduce Kanban Change Principles (15 minutes)

Goal
Create clarity about how Kanban supports change.

Activity

• Explain the core ideas
  • Start with what you do now.
  • Respect existing roles.
  • Limit work in progress.
  • Make work visible.
  • Improve through small steps.
• Show examples of simple board layouts.
• Share one real success story from another team.

Debrief

• Ask: Which principles feel most relevant?
• Capture two or three that stand out.

3. Map the Current Workflow (25 minutes)

Goal
Help the team see how work currently moves.

Activity

• Ask participants to list their tasks from a typical week.
• Build a full flow on a wall or digital board.
• Arrange tasks into stages such as To Do, In Progress, Review, Done.
• Encourage people to place tasks where they actually sit, not where they should sit.

Debrief

• Ask: What do you notice about this flow?
• Ask: What steps take longest?
• Ask: What work often sits idle?
• Capture insights.

4. Build the Kanban Board (15 minutes)

Goal
Create a shared visual workflow.

Activity

• Turn the workflow map into a board with clear stages.
• Add real current tasks as examples.
• Mark any missing steps such as waiting or blocked.

Debrief

• Ask: Does this reflect how we really work?
• Adjust where needed.

5. Set Work in Progress Limits (20 minutes)

Goal
Reduce overload and increase flow.

Activity

• Ask the team to review the number of tasks usually in progress.
• Discuss overload and its impact on quality and speed.
• Agree work in progress limits for one or two columns.
• Test the limits by walking through a typical week.

Debrief

• Ask: How will these limits help?
• Capture concerns and refine limits if needed.

6. Identify Bottlenecks and Improvements (25 minutes)

Goal
Find small, meaningful changes.

Activity

• Ask the team to look at the workflow and highlight bottlenecks.
• Use prompts
  • What slows us down?
  • Where do tasks pile up?
  • What small change could improve flow?
• Create a list of improvement ideas.
• Group the ideas into categories such as communication, handovers or clarity.

Debrief

• Select one or two changes to test next week.
• Assign owners and agree quick success criteria.

7. Personal Commitment (10 minutes)

Goal
Ensure accountability.

Activity

• Ask each person to write one action they will take over the next seven days.
• People share their commitment in a short round.

Debrief

• Ask: What support will help you follow through?
• Set a review point two weeks out.

Secret Sauce

• Keep the session grounded in real work, not ideal workflow.
• Use the board as the main anchor for discussion.
• Encourage honest reflection on overload and delays.
• Steer the group from big structural changes toward small steps.
• Invite all voices to contribute, especially during bottleneck discussions.
• Reinforce that flow improves through small, consistent adjustments.