SAFe® Kanban Team Events
Kanban, a concept that originated in Japan, has become a widely used production planning framework across industries worldwide. In the early 1940s, Toyota, a Japanese automotive company, introduced Kanban as a means of improving inventory management, reducing waste, and optimizing workflow. The word “Kanban” translates to “visual signal” or “card,” referring to the visual cues used to manage production and inventory. Its principles involve creating a balance between supply and demand, reducing overproduction, and Continuous Improvement. Since its inception, Kanban has evolved beyond its original usage in manufacturing sectors and has been adapted to various fields, including software development, healthcare, and education. Its simplicity and effectiveness have made it an essential tool for many organizations seeking to streamline their work processes.
SAFe® is a flow-based system, and we use Kanban extensively across all levels to visualize our work. In Figure 5.1 is an example Kanban Board for a team. On the far left, we have the funnel where we capture all our ideas. Each column reflects the steps that we go through to finish an item in our backlog.
Above each column are numbers representing the Work-In-Progress (WIP) Limits. As the name suggests, this creates a pull-based system by restricting the items in each column. In doing so, we are encouraged to stop starting and start finishing.
In Figure 5.1, we can see that Integration and testing has a WIP Limit of 6, and there are 6 stories already in that column. Enforcing a WIP Limit means that we are unable to move a story from Building until we’ve created room for it. Without a WIP Limit, our developer would probably just pull another story and increase the amount of unfinished work in the system, which we see as operational debt. However, in this case, we would encourage developers to help out with the Integration and testing, thereby moving stories closer to completion.
Figure 5.1 – An example team Kanban system (© Scaled Agile Inc.)
Pro tip
For the most part, Figure 5.1 will be a good starting point. However, you will need to customize the board to reflect the steps in your processes. When I implement Kanban in some organizations, I find that leaders, or sometimes PMOs, have mandated that everyone use the same states on their boards to make reporting easier.
You will need to think about how to integrate with the Features on the ART Kanban, but make sure that it represents the work in a way that is meaningful to the team.
Planning
Planning for SAFe® Kanban Teams differs slightly from SAFe® Scrum Teams as they focus on continuous flow. Often, Kanban Teams use this approach because they struggle to plan two weeks in advance. To this end, Kanban Teams often meet once a week or as needed to plan for the week ahead and address dependencies and bottlenecks.
Although we want teams to have autonomy, they are not entirely autonomous. Therefore, it is essential that Kanban Teams share their planned work visibly. They usually display their work on a Kanban board, either physically or digitally.
As part of the ART, they also share their progress toward their PI Objectives by publishing their Iteration Goals and progress on dependencies so that they are aligned with the rest of the ART.
Team Sync
Like most Agile Teams, Kanban Teams get together regularly to ensure their work is on track. Teams often meet daily like a Scrum Team, although the Team Sync for a Kanban team is more akin to an Iteration Review. There is always a trade-off between encouraging collaboration and disrupting time in the zone.
Teams usually synchronize their syncs with the rest of the Train. It is common to start and end Iterations mid-week. Post-Pandemic, people are in the office more from Tuesday to Thursday and are more productive when face-to-face.
The Team Sync covers a lot of the same topics we would typically talk about during a Iteration Review:
- Flow Metrics and Blockers
- Review and Accept Stories
- Upcoming Dependencies
- Progress toward Iteration Goals and PI Objectives
Pro tip
I often see Team Syncs going on for far too long. I once Coached a team that struggled to keep their syncs below an hour! Make sure you keep your updates to the point and focus on what the other team members need to know. Come prepared and let people go as soon as possible.
Retrospective
Kanban Teams also prioritize retrospectives to ensure Continuous Improvement over time. During these retrospectives, team members reflect on their recent work and identify ways to improve their processes, collaboration, and outcomes.
Here are some key elements that contribute to a good retrospective (note these apply to Scrum Teams as well):
- Psychological Safety: The retrospective should foster an environment where team members feel safe to express their opinions, share their experiences, and raise concerns without fear of judgment or reprisal. This encourages open and honest communication.
- Focus on Learning: A good retrospective emphasizes learning from past experiences. It encourages the team to analyze both successes and failures, identifying what worked well and what could have been done better. The focus should be on Continuous Improvement rather than blaming individuals.
- Clear Objectives: Define clear goals and objectives for the retrospective. It could be to identify areas of improvement, celebrate successes, address specific challenges, or enhance team dynamics. Having a clear purpose keeps the discussion focused and ensures meaningful outcomes.
- Structured Format: Utilize a structured format or technique to guide the retrospective. There are various frameworks available, such as the Start, Stop, Continue method, the Mad, Sad, Glad technique, or the 5 Whys approach. A structured format provides a framework for discussion and helps prevent the conversation from becoming unfocused.
- Inclusive Participation: Ensure that all team members actively participate and have a chance to contribute. Encourage even the quieter or more introverted individuals to share their thoughts and ideas. This inclusivity promotes a sense of ownership and collaboration within the team.
- Actionable Insights: The retrospective should result in actionable insights and concrete steps for improvement. Encourage the team to generate practical ideas and create a plan of action to implement changes. Assign responsibilities and set deadlines for follow-up actions.
- Follow-Up and Accountability: Ensure that the actions identified in the retrospective are tracked and followed up on. Hold team members accountable for their commitments and provide support or resources as needed. Regularly revisit the retrospective outcomes to assess progress and make further adjustments.
- Continuous Improvement: A good retrospective is not a one-time event but part of an ongoing process. Encourage the team to reflect regularly, ideally after every significant milestone or iteration. Emphasize the importance of Continuous Improvement and foster a culture of learning and adaptation within the team.
Pro tip
One of the best retrospectives I ever participated in was with a small team working on a top-secret project in an innovation lab. We were under tremendous pressure from senior leaders to prove the value of a proposition, so time was of the essence.
During the retrospective, we brainstormed ways to improve the team. When we got to one of the SMEs, he said, “Guys, this project is making me ill. I haven’t slept in weeks, and I don’t think I can do it anymore.”
What happened next was a great example of how a team can work together. Not only did we acknowledge that it wasn’t okay for him to feel that way but we immediately came up with tangible solutions for improving team dynamics. We didn’t like that we had reached that point, but we celebrated that our SME had the psychological safety to be honest about how he was feeling.
That turned out to be one of the best teams I’ve worked with, not only because of the genuine relationships we formed but also because we went on to develop a product that generated millions in revenue.
Focus on people, and the rest will take care of itself. It is essential to have tangible improvements from a retrospective; otherwise, people will start to see them as a waste of time. Remember that every team is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. Adapt the retrospective process to suit the team’s preferences and needs and be open to experimenting with different techniques or approaches to find what works best.
