Visualize the Workflow

Visualize the Workflow: Complete Guide

Why Visualizing the Workflow is Important in Kanban

Visualizing the workflow is a fundamental principle in Kanban methodology that creates transparency and understanding across teams. It's important because:

• It makes invisible knowledge work visible to all stakeholders
• It helps identify bottlenecks and constraints in the process
• It promotes team collaboration and shared understanding
• It enables more effective prioritization and decision-making
• It creates a visual representation of work progress that anyone can understand at a glance

What is Workflow Visualization in Kanban?

Workflow visualization in Kanban refers to the practice of creating a visual model that represents how work moves through your system from start to finish. The primary tool for this is the Kanban board, which displays:

• Work items (represented as cards)
• Process stages (represented as columns)
• Policies, limits, and rules (often displayed as annotations)
• Current status of all work at any given time

The visualization serves as a shared cognitive model for the team and stakeholders, establishing a common language and understanding about how work is processed.

How Workflow Visualization Works

1. Creating the Kanban Board

• Map your actual workflow stages as columns (e.g., Backlog, Development, Testing, Ready for Release, Done)
• Each column represents a state that work items can be in
• Some columns may be split into sub-columns (e.g., In Progress and Done within Development)
• You may add swim lanes (horizontal divisions) to separate different work types or priorities

2. Representing Work Items

• Use cards (physical or digital) to represent individual work items
• Each card contains key information: title, ID, responsible person, due date, etc.
• Cards may use colors, icons, or other visual cues to denote type, priority, or class of service
• Cards move from left to right across the board as they progress

3. Adding Workflow Policies

• Establish explicit policies about how work moves between stages
• Define Work-In-Progress (WIP) limits for each column
• Create clear entry and exit criteria for each stage
• Make policies visible on the board

4. Continuous Improvement

• Use the visualization to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies
• Hold regular meetings to discuss what the board reveals about your process
• Adapt and evolve the board as your process changes
• Use metrics captured from the board to drive improvements

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Visualize the Workflow

Key Concepts to Remember:

• The primary purpose is to make work visible and create shared understanding
• Kanban boards should reflect the actual process, not an idealized one
• Work-In-Progress limits are crucial for managing flow
• Visualization alone is not enough—it must lead to action and improvement

When Answering Multiple-Choice Questions:

• Look for answers that emphasize transparency and visibility of the entire workflow
• Choose options that connect visualization to improved team collaboration
• Select answers that link visualization to identifying process problems
• Pick responses that show visualization as a tool for continuous improvement
• Avoid answers suggesting visualization is merely about tracking individual tasks

For Scenario-Based Questions:

• Analyze what aspects of the work are currently invisible
• Consider how visualization would help identify the specific problems described
• Focus on how making policies explicit would address the scenario challenges
• Recommend appropriate visual cues (colors, icons) for the specific context
• Suggest appropriate WIP limits based on the scenario constraints

Common Pitfalls to Avoid:

• Not mentioning that the visualization must reflect the actual workflow, rather than an ideal one
• Focusing only on the creation of the board and not its use for improvement
• Speaking about visualization in isolation from other Kanban principles
• Suggesting overly complex visualizations that might be difficult to maintain
• Describing rigid board structures that can't evolve with the team's process

Remember that visualizing the workflow is not just about creating a pretty board—it's about creating a dynamic tool that drives understanding, collaboration, and continuous improvement throughout the team and organization.