What is a Kanban board?
Quick answer
A Kanban board is a board split into columns, one for each stage of a process (To do, In progress, Done), with one card per piece of work. Cards move left to right as work progresses, so anyone can see what is waiting, what is moving and what is stuck.
Last updated
Take the free module →Module 1 of the free Trello for Teams: One Board for Client Work course, about 10 minutes. No account needed.
Updated · By Robert Breen
Why it matters for a small business
Work you cannot see is work you cannot manage. A Kanban board makes the queue visible, which is often enough to spot that five things are "in progress" and nothing is finishing.
It works for any repeatable office process: onboarding clients, approving invoices, hiring, publishing content. Trello, Jira, Microsoft Planner and Asana all offer Kanban boards.
In a real lesson: Trello: Track Client Onboarding on One Team Board
In the free Trello client onboarding lesson the board has four columns (Trello calls them lists): To do, In progress, Waiting on client and Done.
Giving waiting its own column shows how much onboarding time is spent waiting on clients' documents rather than on the team.
Try this lesson free or read the step-by-step guide.
Common confusions
Kanban vs Scrum
Scrum plans work in fixed sprints; Kanban takes work continuously and limits how much is in progress. Many office teams start with Kanban.
Kanban board vs to-do list
A to-do list is done or not done. A Kanban board shows the stages in between, which is where work gets stuck.
Tips
- Name columns after real stages, not people.
- Add a WIP limit (a maximum per column) once the team is used to the board.
Related terms
More Business terms
Where you use it: free lessons
- Trello: Track Client Onboarding on One Team Board (Trello, 10 min)
- Jira: Kanban Board with WIP Limits and Cycle Time (Jira, 12 min)
- Zoho CRM: Add a Lead, Qualify It and Convert It to a Deal (Zoho CRM, 12 min)
Frequently asked questions
- What columns should a Kanban board have?
- Start with To do, In progress and Done, then add a column only for a stage that really exists, such as Waiting on client or Review.
- Is Kanban only for software teams?
- No. It started in manufacturing and works for any process with stages, from client onboarding to hiring.