Development Kanban

I was recently reviewing a presentation from David Anderson on Kanban from Agile 2007. I love some of his ideas on sizing work, especially in separating work in process (WIP/story point) management from the release cycle. He summarizes his approach in 4 bullet points for success:

• Focus on Quality (fourth law of development)
• Reduce or Limit Work in Progress (what’s wrong with pushing)
• Balance Demand against Throughput (first law of development)
• Prioritize

I think these simple statements help focus on how the principles of lean six sigma guide success. They are certainly easier to remember than the laws I laid out. Simple is good.

Adapted from Hopp and Spearman, Factory Physics, Foundations of Manufacturing Management, Mcgraw-Hill/Irwin, 1996, p 163.