Innovating at scale requires efficiency, and Kanban is one of the most effective ways to streamline innovation project management. Kanban’s roots began in a very non-digital environment, but it’s a methodology so sound and powerful that it has stood the test of time for more than 75 years.
Today, Kanban has transcended its origins and is widely embraced across diverse industries for project management. Its adaptability and emphasis on visual management have made it a staple in Agile environments and beyond.
Let’s take a closer look at Kanban’s origins, how the methodology can assist project management flow for innovation teams and how we’re incorporating it into modern project management tools.
In post-World War II Japan, Kanban emerged in Toyota's manufacturing processes. It was born out of the need to create a visual system for managing inventory and production flow, inspired by the efficient operations of supermarkets that only stocked the right amount of products. At the heart of Kanban are three driving objectives:
Toyota engineer Taiichi Ohno conceptualized Kanban — which in Japanese translates to “signboard” — as a means to achieve just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing and eliminate waste. The general idea was to limit production waste by only manufacturing automobiles based on customer demand instead of manufacturing a set amount irrespective of demand. In doing so, Toyota began producing only the necessary amount of vehicles.
As we know, Kanban’s popularity has skyrocketed in the 21st century via its adoption by Agile software developers, and its sound philosophies make a lot of sense for various industries.
Let’s explore the many ways that implementing the Kanban methodology can supercharge innovation project management.
By limiting how many tasks can be in progress simultaneously, Kanban prevents overload and ensures that teams focus on completing existing work and overcoming blockers.
In the Agile methodology, Kanban is a powerful tool for visualizing workflow, managing tasks and fostering collaboration within teams. The Kanban board becomes a central hub for tracking progress and facilitating communication.
Through the visualization of task deadlines and progress, Kanban aids in ensuring that projects stay on track and deadlines are met. This benefit contributes to improved time management and accountability within teams.
In complex innovation project scenarios, Kanban helps break down large tasks into manageable units, facilitating prioritization and tracking. This systematic approach aids in managing complexity and ensuring that innovation projects progress smoothly.
Kanban's emphasis on continual improvement aligns perfectly with the ethos of innovative product development. Kanban provides a framework for fostering innovation and adapting to evolving market demands by encouraging teams to reflect on their processes, gather feedback, and make iterative enhancements.
The various phases of innovation — such as ideation, feasibility, concept development, development proposal (business case), realization, launch and in-market management — all have their own sets of work to be done.
Kanban can assist teams in managing these phases' complexity by breaking innovation work into manageable units, prioritizing features and tracking progress. Kanban's clarity helps teams navigate the intricacies of bringing new products and features to market with agility and efficiency.
The Kanban methodology also provides a solution approach for coordinating all relevant parties (R&D, sales, marketing, manufacturing, distribution, supply, etc.) around the tasks that need to be done. A well-designed Kanban board gives everyone an instant understanding of the status of all work and illustrates how and where each team member individually participates in the innovation activity. This clarity helps set expectations and eliminate misunderstandings.
The best project management tools focus on versatility, simplicity and effectiveness in all areas of the innovation process, which is why Acclaim Projects now supports Kanban, Scrum and Waterfall methodologies. This addition gives users the edge they need to manage innovation projects from start to finish more easily.
Suppose a team has a project in an Excel Spreadsheet. In that case, the entirety of information within can be easily integrated into Acclaim Projects and reimagined on a Kanban board featuring all of the integrated deliverables of the project. This critical advancement allows Acclaim Projects to help teams increase project efficiency, boost the ability to respond to change and have a clear picture of your project health.
In the dynamic innovation arena, Kanban offers a valuable framework for managing projects efficiently, fostering innovation and accelerating time-to-market. Learn more about Kanban in Acclaim Projects.