TABLE OF CONTENTS:

What is a Kanban Board?
Kanban Practices
Elements of Kanban
Benefits of Kanban
Physical vs Digital Boards
Kanban Project Management Software
What is a Gantt Chart?
Elements of the Gantt Chart
Desktop vs. Online Chart Makers
Gantt Project Management Software
Conclusion

You probably already of Kanban boards and Gantt charts. But have you ever wondered what is their main purpose and how can you get the most out of both of them?

According to Parabol, 76% of respondents reported that Kanban was “effective” or “much more effective than” other methods/frameworks that they have used.

As far as Gantt charts are considered, they are still the most preferred format of project management, topping the list at 36% of project managers surveyed (ProjectManager).

In this guide, we will explain what the Kanban board and Gantt chart are, discuss the basics, and mark crucial details you need to understand, especially if you are a beginner.

What is a Kanban Board?

The concept of Kanban originated in Japan in the 1940s by Toyota. It means “visual sign/card” and its purpose was to help improve manufacturing efficiency and facilitate work processes.

Today, Kanban boards are tools for workflow visualization that helps to maximize work efficiency and achieve better transparency of daily tasks.

It usually consists of columns and cards that help companies visualize and manage the workload.

Kanban Practices

According to Kanbanize, there are 6 core practices of Kanban.

Visualize the workflow

To be able to visualize your work process, you will need a board with columns and cards. Every column will then represent a step in your workflow and every card will represent a work item. Finally, the Kanban board itself represents the actual state of a certain workflow with all its specifications.

Limit work in progress

Within Kanban, you can create cards for tasks so you could see how much work you’re taking on. It will allow you then not to overload yourself (and your team) with tasks. Such limitations will expose interference in your workflow so it can help you identify and resolve them.

Manage workflows

This practice lets you assign tasks to certain team members depending on their availability and expertise. Given that the Kanban system is all about creating smooth flows, your focus should be on managing and understanding how to accelerate the work through the system.

Set clear process policies

By defining clear guidelines for your processes, teams will then have a better understanding of workflows and their every phase. Well-defined work policies can help each team member improve self-organization. Make sure everyone understands the common goal.

Allow room for feedback

Feedback loops allow your team to recognize mistakes and create new ideas that can be shared within the team.

For a company, it's important to be open to potential changes and encourage the exchange of ideas and knowledge among employees.

Always lean towards improvement

Based on feedback and metrics, you should be able to achieve continuous improvements and changes within a company. Create a mindset focused on constant improvement to keep things moving smoothly.

Applying those practices results in a clear visual representation of a project, as shown above.

Elements of Kanban

Throughout this chapter, we'll list some of the most important Kanban elements and answer the question “How does a Kanban board look like?”.

Kanban board

Kanban board is usually divided into 3 main phases according to Forbes Advisor:

Requested tasks (To-do)
In progress tasks
Finished tasks

Depending on the size and industry of a company, task phases can be customized depending on different workflows and processes.

Kanban columns

Columns are designed to define a different stage of the workflow. The cards then move through the columns to show at what stage the process is.

Kanban cards

Kanban cards are used to define crucial information about tasks such as deadline, description, size, assignees, etc. They represent diverse work items moving through a Kanban board and are often different colors to help visualize responsible team members or some other item.

Work in progress limits

Work in progress limits enable limiting the number of tasks a team can work on at the given moment to avoid overloading. Team members actively work on cards that are in this column and the rest are either completed or waiting to be done. In that way, each team member can concentrate on the task at hand and work more efficiently.

Benefits of Kanban

You probably already got a gist through this blog post on some benefits of using the Kanban system. But let us summarize what are some key advantages you’ll be getting when implementing the Kanban board.

Physical vs. Digital Boards

According to Kanbanize there are two basic types of Kanban boards, physical and digital boards.

Physical board

This type of Kanban board includes a physical board where team members usually use sticky notes to represent tasks as they move them from one part of the board to the other.

Digital board

A digital board is a software solution, making it much easier to use than the standard physical board. It allows you to easily manage work processes from anywhere and get a clear visualization of current task progress. Some solutions allow team leaders to track multiple workflows and rearrange their work in different categories. Many companies are today using digital Kanban boards as it’s easier to manage and keep track of various workflows.

Kanban Project Management Software

Kanban project management software is a dynamic tool that transforms the way teams handle tasks and workflows. A typical Kanban board layout is simple yet powerful, consisting of columns that represent different stages of a task's lifecycle. When someone asks, "How does a Kanban board look like?" imagine a clear visual system where tasks move from 'To Do' to 'Doing' to 'Done', providing immediate insight into a project's status.

Strengths

The strength of Kanban lies in its flexibility, with each board customizable through a Kanban chart template. This adaptability makes it one of the best digital Kanban board solutions for teams looking to improve their workflow efficiency. Unlike some traditional project management tools, Kanban boards are not inherently designed for sprints, but they can be adapted for such methodologies, demonstrating their versatility.

Key elements

Key elements of a Kanban board include task cards, columns, and work-in-progress limits. Adhering to Kanban board best practices, such as limiting work-in-progress and continuously updating the board, ensures optimal productivity and clarity. The purpose of a Kanban board is to streamline task management and improve team coordination, making it an essential tool for modern teams.

Summary

In summary, Kanban project management software provides an intuitive and flexible approach to task and workflow management. By visualizing tasks and their progress, teams can effectively manage their work, prioritize tasks, and achieve a smoother, more organized way of working.

What is a Gantt Chart?

The Gantt chart was named after Henry Gantt who popularized this project management chart in the early 20th century. Today it is a project management tool that provides a visual representation of project tasks scheduled over time.

Typically, a Gantt chart has a list of project segments such as tasks or activities on the left side while on the top time is represented in months. Each project segment is represented by a bar whose length and position shows its start, duration, and end.

Elements of Gantt Charts

There are three main elements that define Gantt charts:

Time

Time is the element represented on the top of the Gantt chart and is most commonly shown in months, although the timeline can be customized to show larger or smaller intervals of time. This makes it easy to visualize task duration with the length and position of the task bar.

Tasks

Tasks that are usually called activities can be found on the left of the chart. Their duration is shown across the chart in bars that can have various variations and colors.

Responsible person

Efficiently manage tasks and team responsibilities by assigning them to individuals or entire teams, ensuring timely completion of activities.

Desktop vs. Online Gantt Chart Makers

If you’re interested in implementing the Gantt chart method into your business, there are various available software solutions.

Managing multiple projects using spreadsheets or desktop Gantt chart tools can be challenging. Project management software offers seamless collaboration and sharing capabilities. As these solutions are entirely online, you can assign team members to view, update tasks, provide comments, and attach documents directly to their ongoing tasks.

Another great thing about project management software is the reduced cost, unlike desktop versions. It’s because there are no costly server installations, integrations, or associated license costs for each user.

Gantt Project Management Software

In the realm of project organization, Gantt chart project management software is an indispensable tool. Its primary strength lies in its ability to present complex project timelines in a clear and understandable manner. For those pondering over 'how to use a Gantt board,' it begins with mapping out tasks along a timeline, offering a visual representation of the entire project from start to finish.

Gantt charts can be used for a variety of purposes, from tracking the progress of small projects to planning large-scale operations. This versatility makes them a staple in many project managers' toolkits. Whether it's for organizing tasks, setting deadlines, or allocating resources, a Gantt chart provides an all-encompassing view that is easy to interpret and adjust as needed.

Addressing the question 'Is a Gantt chart a project management tool?' - it certainly is. It's more than just a chart; it's a comprehensive project management solution that enables teams to stay on track, identify potential delays before they occur, and ensure that all aspects of a project are aligned with the overall timeline. In essence, Gantt project management software is about bringing efficiency and clarity to the planning and execution of projects, making it a valuable asset for any team striving for success.

Conclusion

We can conclude that Kanban boards can be used for items that don’t have dependencies with each other, whereas Gantt charts are useful when dependencies are the main driver for the schedule. Also, Kanban boards are more suited for repetitive work (with similar steps), while Gantt charts are suitable for a combination of different types of work (Management Plaza).

By using these tools together, you can see a much more detailed picture of a project and possibly detect some issues along the way. Also, Kanban boards are useful for tracking individual tasks and at the same time, Gantt charts will give you a comprehensive insight into the timescales and progress of the project (Kanbachi).

If you want to utilize the all benefits of Kanban bords and Gantt charts combined with added benefits of other project management tools check out our Gauss Box Project management business solution. If you need more than just project management, contact us and our team will be glad to help!

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