What Is a Kanban Board? A Simple Guide
A kanban board shows work as cards moving through columns such as To do, In progress and Done. Here is how it works, why teams use it and how to set one up in a few minutes.
In short
- Reading time: About 5 minutes
- Best for: Teams and students new to kanban
- Try it: Glidely’s free kanban board
The short answer
A kanban board is a visual way to track work. Each task is a card, and each column is a stage the work goes through. As a task moves forward, its card moves to the next column. One look at the board tells you what is waiting, what is being worked on and what is finished.
Where kanban comes from
Kanban is Japanese for "signboard". The method began in Toyota’s factories in the late 1940s, where cards signalled when more parts were needed. In the 2000s, software and other knowledge-work teams adapted it into the boards people use today.
The three parts of a kanban board
- Cards: one task each, with an owner, a due date and the details needed to do it.
- Columns: the stages of your work. The simplest set is To do, In progress and Done.
- Work-in-progress limits: a cap on how many cards can sit in a column at once, so the team finishes work before starting more.
Why teams use kanban
- Everyone sees the same picture, so there are fewer "where are we?" messages.
- Bottlenecks show up as cards piling into one column.
- Work-in-progress limits stop people from juggling too much at once.
- It works for any kind of work, not just software.
Kanban or a to-do list?
A to-do list tells you what needs doing. A kanban board also shows where each task is and who has it, which matters as soon as more than one person is involved.
How to set up your first kanban board
- Start with three columns: To do, In progress, Done.
- Add a card for every task you know about.
- Give each card one owner and, if it has a deadline, a due date.
- Set a limit on In progress, for example two cards per person.
- Move cards as the work moves, and look at the board together once a week.
You can do all of this on a free kanban board in Glidely, or start from a ready-made template.
Common mistakes
- Too many columns: start with three and add more only when you need them.
- Cards that are too big: if a card takes weeks, split it.
- Cards with no owner: a task everyone owns is a task nobody does.
- A board nobody updates: move cards as you work, not at the end of the week.
Frequently asked questions
What columns should a kanban board have?
Start with To do, In progress and Done. Add a column such as Review only when work regularly waits at that step.
Is kanban the same as scrum?
No. Scrum works in fixed-length sprints with set roles and meetings. Kanban is a continuous flow of work with limits on work in progress. Many teams use a kanban board inside scrum sprints.
What is a WIP limit?
A work-in-progress limit caps how many cards can be in a column at once. It pushes the team to finish work before starting new work.
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