A long series of theads on the Kanbandev Yahoo! group brought me to the realization that we've (I and the main Kanban protagonists like Corey Ladas and Karl Scotland) have really failed to articulate a lot of the basics required to get started. I posted this short summary to the list but it is so useful it needs a wider audience. So here it is without any explanation. By all means post questions in the comments. I may blog specifically about individual steps at some later date.

To do Kanban...

Start with the process you are doing now. Then...

1. Map the value stream

2. Define some point where you want to control input - define what is upstream of that point and who the upstream stakeholders are

3. Define some exit point beyond which you don't intend to contorl - define what is downstream of that and who the downstream stakeholders are

4. Meet with the upstream and downstream stakeholders - might be one big meeting, might be lots of little meetings. Discuss policies around capacity of the bit of the value stream you want to control and get agreement on a WIP limit and an input coordination mechanism such as a regular prioritization meeting (with the upstream partners) and a release/delivery coordination mechanism such as a regular software release (with the downstream partners)

5. Create a board/card wall to track the value stream you are controlling

6. Optionally create an electronic system to track and report the same

7. Agree to have a standup meeting every day in front of the board with the team (invite upstream and downstream stakeholders but don't mandate their involvement)

8. Agree to have a regular operations review meeting for retrospective analysis of the process (invite upstream and downstream stakeholders but don't mandate their involvement)

9. Educate the team on the new board, WIP limits, and pull system. Nothing else in their world should have changed. Job descriptions are the same. Activities are the same. Handoffs are the same. Artifacts are the same. Their process hasn't changed other than you are asking them to accept an WIP limit and to pull work rather than receive it in a push fashion

10. Start using the new "Kanban" process Technorati tag: David+Anderson, Agile+Management, Agile, Lean, Kanban,