Where should a traditional team adopting the waterfall model for agile transformation start? How to start? In addition to the preliminary preparations (including agile soil loosening, introduction of agile training, value stream analysis, etc.), in my practical experience, I think the best approach is to start directly with Kanban. Move all things at work to the Kanban board to make things fully visible in the team, which is conducive to better collaboration.
In fact, in the previous value stream analysis work, the issue of building Kanban has been involved. Today, I will briefly talk about the origin, modeling and related core practices of the Kanban method.
1. The origin of the Kanban method
The Kanban method is derived from Toyota's "just-in-time" (JIT=just-in-time) system. Although producing software is a creative activity and is different from mass production of cars, the principles behind production line management still apply. The Kanban method is a new technology used to efficiently manage the software development process.
Kanban defines an incremental and gradual method of changing technology development and organizational operations. Its core mechanism is a pull system that limits the number of work-in-progress, through which it exposes problems in the operation or process of the system, and stimulates collaboration to improve the system.
2. Kanban method modeling
For the modeling of the Kanban method, the main steps are as follows:
(1) Perform input analysis, including analyzing work item types and corresponding rules, identifying service classifications and corresponding rules;
(2) Analyzing input and delivery rhythm , Including analysis of delivery coordination and transaction costs, analysis of a more appropriate release rhythm, such as once a month, once every two weeks, etc., clear and reasonable input and priority ranking rhythm, etc.;
(3) Identify the main work items The value stream involved in this is also an important part of the value stream analysis mentioned earlier, including activities, frequency, work items and granularity, roles and number of people, definition of completion, WIP, cycle time, etc.;
(4) Design The initial virtual kanban wall uses the kanban wall to try to introduce the pull method to carry out work;
(5) Use the kanban wall to identify constraints, including constraints on shared resources, constraints on skills, constraints on human resources, and capacity ratio Constraints and so on.
3. The core practice of the Kanban method
The Kanban method has six core practices, namely, visualizing work items and processes, measuring and managing flows, displaying rules, forming a multi-level feedback loop, limiting the number of work-in-progress (WIP), and collaborative/experimental continuous improvement.
In the Kanban practice, visualization of work items and processes is the basis. For example, the following figure shows that we started to try to visualize the work process and all work items on the Kanban wall in a project team, and the various needs to be analyzed and the analysis Requirements, tasks in design, tasks in development, tasks in testing, etc. are written on the sticky note and posted to the corresponding swim lanes and queues.
At the same time, combined with the actual work of the project team, emergency channels were added to deal with various emergency needs and problems.
The project team tried to hold daily stand-up meetings, and combined the relevant situations of several stand-up meetings, and made corresponding summary in time:
(1) Good practice
a. The team members reviewed and planned together around the Kanban wall for the first time;
b 、Each member can make a statement about his work relatively actively;
c. The rules of stand-up meeting are clarified;
d. The task card is improved;
e. The development members are divided into areas on the kanban wall for easy judgment Whose task is it?
(2) What needs to be improved
a. The Kanban wall lacks the deployment link (phase), which needs to be added, especially some tasks are completed directly by the development and need to be released and verified on site, so that it is possible to achieve end-to-end ;
b, for the development of the current members of the regional division, in fact, can be further improved, after all, for urgent task went to the emergency channel but how quickly identified who is responsible for it;
c, the current number of products is no limit in the back As the number of tasks increases, it needs to be considered in due course;
d. There should be a lot of design content on the kanban wall that has been designed but not developed, and it needs to be placed on the kanban wall, so don't miss it;
e. There seems to be a lot of problems on the emergency channel. It is necessary to consider whether it is reasonable or not. At the same time, you need to consider the corresponding priority. Most of the urgent problems will become no urgency;
f. Progressive improvement can be made. In this regard, it is considered to use excel and other forms to draw cumulative flow diagrams. In this regard, it is recommended that the APT team advance collaboratively.
g. Let team members actively participate and speak actively.
On the other hand, the measurement and flow management of the work process and results are also very important. After the iteration is started, the burndown chart, cumulative flow chart and other methods are used for statistical analysis. The burndown charts of several iterations are shown in the following figure. Show:
The follow-up is a series of practice and continuous improvement. In general, the practice of the Kanban method should fully integrate the actual situation, starting from the status quo, and team members should reach a consensus on the pursuit of incremental improvement. When practicing the Kanban method, you can respect the existing roles, responsibilities, and job titles. This is conducive to quickly and with less obstacles to practice the Kanban method, and see some results, which will help the positive drive team to continue learning, keep improve.
In terms of books related to the Kanban method, I personally recommend the following two books: "The Kanban Method-The Way to Success in the Progressive Change of Technology Companies" and "Lean Product Development".
