Kanban introduces both evolutionary and revolutionary changes. It is evolutionary in that it does not mandate a new end-to-end process or change roles, but rather encourages continuous improvement of existing engineering processes. However, it is also revolutionary in encouraging transparency, empowering teams through work pull systems, and enabling organizational transformation through quantitative management and a culture of process experimentation. Kanban should be implemented both for its evolutionary benefits of process optimization as well as its revolutionary impacts on organizational culture.

1. Mahesh Singh
Co-founder/ Sr. VP - Product
Digite/ Swift-Kanban

2. Introduction
 Co-Founder, Sr. VP – Product of Digite,
Inc.
 Lean/ Agile ALM Products
 Products - Swift-Kanban, Digite Enterprise and
CloudSpec
 David J Anderson, world-renowned Kanban
Guru is Digite advisor
 Over 25 years of experience (India/ US)
working with distributed teams and global
customers
 Proud to be a Sponsor/ Exhibitor at Agile
India 2012

3. Background
 Software industry far too associated with
failure!
 Process Improvement Initiatives have been
the graveyard of many a SEPG/ PMO
professionals 
 Last 15 years have seen a transition from
traditional to Agile to now Lean/ Kanban
 Kanban in particular holds out the hope of
being a “unifying system” that makes
successful transition much more likely

4. First – a Vote – how many people here have
implemented/ worked on Kanban for
Software or IT?
Kanban’s BIG strength – It is Evolutionary.
Question for this session – Is it Evolutionary or
Revolutionary?!

5. rev·o·lu·tion. A sudden or momentous
change in a situation:
Examples
- The revolution in computer technology.
- Organization moving from CMMi Level 1
to CMMi Level 3?

6. ev·o·lu·tion. A gradual process in which
something changes into a different and
usually more complex or better form.
Gradual Process:
Incremental Change
Reduced resistance
to change

7. A Historical Perspective on Evolution of Software Methodologies

8. A close-up

9. Kanban is an “Adaptive System”
 Visualize Workflow
 Limit Work in Progress
 Measure and Optimize flow/ Lead Time
 Make Process Policies Explicit
 Use Models to recognize Improvement
Opportunities

10. Kanban is
NOT
a Software Lifecycle Methodology
Some process or methodology
must already be in place!

11. So what kind of changes does
Kanban introduce?

12. Visualize Workflow
Make your process Visual
Let everyone see where
the work is.

13. Limit WIP
Avoid MAFA
Stop STARTING
Start FINISHING

14. Kanban: Limit WIP
Limit or eliminate Multi-Tasking
If you have slack, work on “Intangible”
tasks

15. Introduce PULL
Let team members commence work
on the next priority item when they are
available to work on that item.
Shift from “being assigned” (Push)
to “taking up” (Pull) a task

16. Decoupled Cadences
Work based on current
priority and cost of delay.
Make a release when you have enough
work products (features) to make a
delivery.

17. Evolutionary
or
Revolutionary?

18. Visualize Workflow
Let EVERYONE know
WHERE you are
and
that you might be STUCK!
Kanban Encourages Transparency and
Visibility and Honesty typically not seen in
other systems!

19. Limit WIP
Reduce/ Eliminate Multi-Tasking
Eliminate a key employee performance
measure!
Focus on Work-Life Balance!!

20. Introduce PULL
Turn the world of PUSH/
ASSIGMENTS upside-down!
Empower Team Members
and establish a Culture of Trust
Both Managers and Team Members take
time to get used to this!

21. Decoupled Cadences
“When is our next release and what will it
have?”
Management focus NOT on Release/
Iteration Planning,
But on “up-to-the-minute” Cost of
Delay, Flow, Throughput and Quality

22. And more…!
Kanban encourages and enables
Process Experimentation
Quantitative Management
Viral spread across the Organization
Kanban encourages and enables
a Kaizen Culture

23. Kanban –
EVOLUTIONARY in the RIGHT places
And
REVOLUTIONARY in the RIGHT
places

24. Evolutionary in the right places –
No big-new end-to-end mandated process
No change in roles of people
No change in software lifecycle methodology
you continue to do what you already do
Kanban specifically encourages analyzing
fundamental engineering process for
improvement

25. Revolutionary in the right places as well!
Encourages and enables Organizational
Transformation
Encourages Transparency and Visibility
Provides an easy to implement method to
achieve a Kaizen Culture

26. We need to implement Kanban not only
for the Evolutionary reasons but for the
Revolutionary ones as well!!

27. Thank you!
mahesh@digite.com www.digite.com
+1-408-761-2238 swift-kanban.com
@maheshsingh @swiftkanban