Kanban overview in Software Engineering - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is Kanban in software engineering?

Kanban is a visual method to manage work by showing tasks on cards and moving them through columns that represent stages of work, helping teams see progress and limit work in progress.

beginner

What are the main columns typically found on a Kanban board?

Common columns are: To Do (tasks to start), In Progress (tasks being worked on), and Done (completed tasks). These show the flow of work from start to finish.

intermediate

Why does Kanban limit work in progress (WIP)?

Limiting WIP helps teams focus on finishing tasks before starting new ones, reducing multitasking and improving flow and quality.

beginner

How does Kanban help improve team communication?

Kanban boards make work visible to everyone, so team members can easily see what others are doing, which helps coordinate efforts and spot bottlenecks early.

intermediate

What is a key difference between Kanban and Scrum?

Kanban is continuous flow without fixed time cycles, while Scrum works in fixed-length sprints with planned tasks. Kanban is more flexible and focuses on ongoing delivery.

What does a Kanban board visually represent?

A A list of team members and their roles

B The stages of work and tasks moving through them

C A schedule of meetings and deadlines

D A detailed project budget

Kanban boards show tasks as cards moving through columns that represent stages of work.

Why is limiting work in progress important in Kanban?

A To increase multitasking

B To add more tasks quickly

C To avoid communication among team members

D To focus on completing tasks and improve flow

Limiting WIP helps teams focus on finishing tasks, reducing multitasking and improving efficiency.

Which of these is NOT a typical Kanban board column?

A Planning Meeting

B In Progress

C Done

D To Do

Planning Meeting is not a typical column; Kanban boards focus on task stages like To Do, In Progress, and Done.

How does Kanban differ from Scrum?

A Kanban uses fixed-length sprints

B Scrum uses continuous flow

C Kanban focuses on continuous flow without fixed time cycles

D Scrum does not use boards

Kanban is continuous flow without fixed sprints, while Scrum uses fixed-length sprints.

What benefit does making work visible on a Kanban board provide?

A Improves team communication and spotting bottlenecks

B Hides tasks from team members

C Increases task complexity

D Removes deadlines

Visibility helps team members coordinate and identify problems early.

Explain how a Kanban board helps a team manage their work.

Think about how seeing tasks moving helps the team.

Describe the purpose of limiting work in progress in Kanban and its impact on team productivity.

Why is it better to finish tasks before starting new ones?