What is Kanban?
A method that shows work on a board and limits how much is in progress at once.
In plain English
Work items move across columns such as To do, Doing and Done. A limit on work in progress keeps the team from starting too much, so work flows through to the end. There are no fixed-length sprints; improvement comes from watching where work gets stuck.
Example
A board where the Doing column is limited to three cards, so a fourth card cannot start until one finishes.
Easy to confuse with
- Sprint: Kanban flows continuously. A sprint is a fixed-length time box used in Scrum.
Where you will meet it
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Related terms
- Agile: A way of delivering work in small steps, getting feedback often and adapting as you learn.
- Sprint: A fixed period of one month or less in which a Scrum team turns chosen work into a usable increment.
- Product Backlog: An ordered list of everything that might be needed to improve the product.
Quick answers
What is Kanban?
A method that shows work on a board and limits how much is in progress at once.
What is the difference between Kanban and Sprint?
Kanban flows continuously. A sprint is a fixed-length time box used in Scrum.
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