The Open Guide to Kanban: A New Chapter in Collaborative Flow
If you’ve been around the agile and lean communities for any length of time, you’ll know that debates about “the right way” to do things are as common as post-it notes at a retrospective. I’ve seen it all: the echo chambers, the rock-throwing from the sidelines, the endless arguments over whether it’s “work in progress” or “work in process.” But every so often, something genuinely collaborative emerges, something that brings together practitioners from across the spectrum, not to win arguments, but to help people solve real problems. The Open Guide to Kanban is one of those rare achievements.
A Community Effort, Not a Closed Shop
Let’s be clear: this guide didn’t spring from the mind of a single guru or a closed committee. It’s the result of a deeply collaborative effort among people who care about flow, practitioners, trainers, consultants, and, crucially, people who actually do the work. I was honoured to be involved, not just as a reviewer, but as the technical enabler for the community. My role was to make sure the guide wasn’t just another static PDF gathering dust, but a living, breathing document that anyone can contribute to.
We’ve built the site (kanbanguides.org) on GitHub, which might sound intimidating if you’re not a developer, but it’s actually quite straightforward. The entire guide is in markdown, under source control, and open for contributions. Want to suggest a change? Fork the repo, make your edits, and submit a pull request. Want to translate the guide into your language? Go for it. The whole site is designed to be multi-language, and we’ve already included previous translations as PDFs. If you want to help convert those to markdown, you’ll be making the guide even more accessible.
Why Openness Matters
Openness isn’t just a buzzword here. It’s the foundation of the guide. We’ve taken inspiration from open source, but this is more than just code, it’s about ideas, language, and practice. The more the community engages, the better the guide becomes. If you spot a bug, a clumsy phrase, or a definition that doesn’t quite land, you can log an issue or start a discussion. This isn’t a finished product; it’s an evolving resource.
Bridging the Gaps: Language, Context, and Value
One of the persistent challenges in the Kanban and flow communities has been language. Different communities use different terms for the same concepts, and sometimes we end up talking past each other. Is it “lead time” or “cycle time”? Is it “work in progress” or “work in process”? In the Open Guide, we’ve tried to cut through the noise and use language that’s both precise and accessible. For example, instead of getting bogged down in jargon, we talk about “work that’s started but not finished.” Simple, clear, and universally understandable.
But it’s not just about language. It’s about value. Too often, Kanban discussions get stuck on optimizing flow for its own sake, without enough focus on the value delivered to customers. This guide puts value front and centre. We’ve clarified metrics, added an appendix with additional measures, and made it clear that the goal isn’t just to move cards faster, it’s to deliver meaningful outcomes.
Kanban for Everyone: Not Just for Software, Not Just for Experts
A common misconception is that Kanban is only for manufacturing, or only for software, or only for people who already “get it.” That’s nonsense. The Open Guide is for anyone who wants to improve how work flows through their system, whether you’re in marketing, healthcare, education, or, yes, software development. You don’t need to start with everything. Start where you are. Make one small improvement. Reduce your delivery time by a day. That’s already progress.
And if you’re a manager or leader, this guide isn’t just for the “doers.” There’s a section specifically for you. It’s not about swooping in for a royal tour once a year; it’s about rolling up your sleeves, going to the source (Genchi Genbutsu, as the Toyota folks say), and understanding how work really gets done. If you want better outcomes, you need to be part of the system, not just an observer.
Kanban and Scrum: Not Enemies, but Allies
I want to reiterate something that often gets lost in the noise: Kanban and Scrum are not at odds. They are complementary. Every Scrum team I’ve ever worked with benefits from understanding flow, using flow metrics, and visualizing their work. The Open Guide to Kanban isn’t about replacing Scrum or any other framework, it’s about giving you tools to see, understand, and improve your system, whatever your context.
Practical Advice: Start with Visibility, End with Value
If you take nothing else from this, remember: you can’t improve what you can’t see. Visualize your workflow. Make your work visible. Use your board as a lens to see where things are getting stuck, where value is being delivered, and where waste is creeping in. Don’t let work rot on the board. Set clear policies. Control your work in progress, not to max out your capacity, but to prevent overburden and keep the system healthy.
And don’t get hung up on perfection. The guide is evolutionary by nature. You don’t have to get everything right on day one. Start small, learn, adapt, and improve. If you see something in the guide that doesn’t fit your context, adapt it. If you see something missing, contribute.
An Invitation to Participate
This guide is an invitation. It’s not a prescription, not a recipe, and certainly not a dogma. It’s a starting point for your journey, whether you’re new to Kanban or a seasoned practitioner. Use it as scaffolding, some of it will become part of your permanent practice, some of it you’ll discard as you learn what works for you.
And if you want to get involved, whether by suggesting changes, translating the guide, or just joining the discussion, please do. The more voices we have, the better the guide will become. Let’s stop fighting about who’s right and start helping each other solve real problems.
Final Thoughts
I’m proud to have played a part in this effort, but it’s not about me or any one person. It’s about the community. It’s about making Kanban accessible, practical, and valuable for everyone. If you find the guide useful, share it. If you see something that could be better, help us improve it. And if you’re struggling with flow in your team or organization, know that you’re not alone, and that there’s a community of people ready to help.
Read the guide. Use it. Challenge it. Improve it. And, above all, remember: it’s not about winning arguments. It’s about delivering value, together.
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Discover the Open Guide to Kanban, a collaborative, community-driven resource designed to make Kanban accessible, practical, and valuable for everyone. Learn how to improve flow, deliver value, and join the conversation at kanbanguides.org.