Kanban Board Setup

Purpose

A well-designed Kanban board makes workflow visible, limits work in progress, and drives continuous improvement. This workshop guides the team through designing a board that reflects their actual process rather than an idealized one.

At a glance

How to run

1. Map current workflow (20 min) — Ask the team to list every step a work item goes through, from idea to done. Write each step on a card. Arrange in sequence.
2. Identify waiting states (10 min) — Between active steps, identify where items wait (e.g., "Waiting for review"). Add explicit queues.
3. Design columns (15 min) — Group steps and queues into board columns. Merge or split as needed to keep the board between 5 and 9 columns.
4. Set WIP limits (15 min) — For each column, agree on a work-in-progress limit. Start with "number of team members minus 1" as a heuristic and adjust.
5. Define policies (15 min) — For each column, write the entry and exit criteria. What does it mean for an item to be "in code review"?
6. Add visual signals (10 min) — Define card colours, avatars, blocked indicators, and expedite lanes.
7. Test drive (5 min) — Walk a recent work item through the board to validate the design.

Materials needed

• Large wall space or digital Kanban tool (Jira, Trello, Miro)
• Sticky notes and markers
• Example work items to test-drive
• WIP limit reference cards

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• Too many columns — More than 9 columns creates cognitive overload. Merge.
• No WIP limits — A board without WIP limits is just a to-do list, not a Kanban system.
• Copying another team's board — The board must reflect THIS team's actual workflow.
• Ignoring waiting states — Hidden queues are where work stalls; make them visible.

Inclusion & accessibility

• Use colour plus shape or text for card types (not colour alone).
• Ensure digital boards meet accessibility standards (keyboard navigation, screen-reader labels).
• Invite all team members, including part-time contributors, to ensure the workflow is complete.

Variations

• STATIK — Systems Thinking Approach to Introducing Kanban: a more comprehensive workshop covering demand analysis, capability classes, and board design.
• Portfolio Kanban — Design a board for managing a portfolio of initiatives rather than team-level tasks.
• Personal Kanban — Individual board design for personal productivity.

When NOT to use this

• If the team already has a well-functioning board and just needs a tune-up — run a board retrospective instead.
• If the team is mandated to use a specific tool configuration — focus on policies and WIP limits rather than board design.

Source & further reading

• Anderson, D. (2010). *Kanban: Successful Evolutionary Change*. Blue Hole Press.
• Benson, J. & Barry, T. (2011). *Personal Kanban*. Modus Cooperandi.