Personal Kanban 101

What is Personal Kanban?

Personal Kanban is a simple way to visualize and control your work.

Quick Links:

• What is a kanban?
• InfoPak on building your first Personal Kanban
• Building your first Personal Kanban
• How to build your value stream
• Why you want to limit work-in-progress
• Limiting WIP Series
• The Basics
• Why Not a WIP Limit of One?
• Slack
• Calming Complexity
• Why call it “Personal” Kanban?
• Personal Kanban: Mapping Work | Navigating Life – The Personal Kanban Book

Despite our best intentions, life has a way of becoming complicated. People, tasks, responsibilities, deadlines, and even recreation all compete for our attention. The human brain however, simply does not respond well to the stress of juggling multiple priorities.

That’s where Personal Kanban can help. Adaptable to all ages and situations, and accessible to all learning styles, personal kanban allows us to visualize the amount of work we have, and the way that work is carried out.

Unlike other personal productivity tools, Personal Kanban is a pattern – it is not an edict. You can mold it into whatever shape or form works best for you at the time. Personal Kanban is also scalable – it can work with just you, or with your family, or even with work groups.

There are only two real rules with Personal Kanban:

1. Visualize your work

2. Limit your work-in-progress

It’s just that simple.  After you’ve used this “introductory’ kanban for a little while, your understanding of the nature of  you work will evolve. As it does, your kanban will likewise evolve.

Follow the link below for the Personal Kanban 101 Slideshare – it goes into detail why Personal Kanban works, how to create one, and what to do with it.

For more on Personal Kanban please follow our principle authors on Twitter:

• Personal Kanban
• Jim Benson
• Tonianne DeMaria Barry