Kanban, a Japanese term meaning ‘signboard’ or ‘billboard’, has its origins in the Toyota Production System (TPS) developed in the 1940s. Toyota’s aim was to reduce inefficiency and waste, creating a ‘Just-In-Time’ (JIT) production system that only produced what was needed, when it was needed. The Kanban system was a tool to achieve this, using cards to signal the need for parts in the production process.
Fast-forward to the 21st century, and Kanban has been adopted by the software development industry. David J. Anderson, a pioneer of applying Kanban to IT, saw its potential to improve efficiency and reduce waste in software development processes. His book ‘Kanban: Successful Evolutionary Change for Your Technology Business’ has become a seminal text in the field.
Kanban in software development is not about the physical movement of goods, but the flow of work through a system. It’s a visual way to manage work as it moves through various stages of the process. The goal is to identify potential bottlenecks and fix them, thereby improving efficiency and productivity.
The principles of Kanban can be applied to any process or industry where work flows from one stage to the next. It’s a simple, flexible system that helps teams work more efficiently, reduce waste, and continuously improve their processes.
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