Kanban Lesson 1: See What You’re Working On

You start preparing a customer quote. A call interrupts you. While checking a detail, you remember two other quotes that still need attention. By the afternoon, several things have moved forward. None has been sent. When work is scattered across inboxes, notes and memory, it is difficult to see how much is already underway. Your first Kanban exercise is to bring that work together.

Choose one area

Start with a manageable type of work, such as preparing customer quotes. Keep the same scope throughout this mini-course. Write down each current item on a separate sticky note or digital card. Include both work you intend to start and work already underway. Use a description with a recognisable result. “Prepare and send the maintenance quote” is clearer than “Customer admin”. Keep the cards at a similar level of detail. A two-minute phone call and a three-month project are difficult to manage as equivalent items.

Try it today

Set aside ten minutes to gather your cards. Then ask yourself this:

• Which items have already been started?
• Which are nearly finished?
• Which are waiting for something?

You do not need to reorganise everything yet. Notice how much work is competing for attention. If you work with others, compare the list with their view. Missing work is useful information. Term of the day — Visualisation: Making work and its current state visible so people can make informed decisions. Next lesson: Turn your cards into a simple Kanban board.