Mastering Your Workflow: A Guide to Kanban Board Setup
- Liam Wickham
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
In the digital world, where tasks and projects are perpetually in motion, having an organized system is essential for efficiency. Whether you’re managing a single project or juggling multiple initiatives, a robust Kanban board setup can be a game changer. This guide walks you through a comprehensive Kanban board setup, tailored to enhance productivity and streamline workflows.
Introduction and Session Overview
Hello, I’m Liam from the Game Production Academy, and this is part three of our Q&A session (part one is here) (part two is here) based on discussions in our Discord community. This guide aims to equip you with the knowledge needed to optimize your task management. Please support our efforts by liking, subscribing, and sharing with your network!
Getting Started: Understanding the Basics
Before diving into the setup, it's crucial to understand the foundation of our approach. Ideally, you've already checked out part two of this series for greater context, which sets the stage for why these practices matter. Links to previous parts should be available around this page.
Setting Up Your Kanban Board
When setting up your board, visualize it as a dynamic workspace that reflects current tasks and responsibilities. We'll use Businessmap (formerly Kanbanize) for this demonstration, highlighting its multi-project small team board capabilities which offer beautiful hierarchies and features.
Workflow Editing: Begin by structuring your workflow. Notes left during the setup will guide decision-making on prioritization, ensuring tasks follow a logical sequence.
Prioritization Strategy: Tasks should be prioritized from top to bottom. While our setup prioritizes Project A first, followed by Projects B and C, this sequence can be customized to fit your strategy.
Managing Projects and Workflow
Kanban boards prioritize clarity in progress, ensuring every team member knows what they should be working on at any given time. Here are key components:
Work in Progress (WIP) Limits: Restrict the number of tasks per person to maintain focus. Typically, simultaneous tasks are limited to ensure efficient resource allocation.
Expedite Actions: Occasionally, projects will require urgent attention. Rather than a separate swim lane for expedite, use an "expedite" sticker on cards with producer agreement.
Global Views: Visualize all ongoing projects to see where resources are allocated. This enhances accountability and transparency across teams.
Detailed Workflow: From Backlog to Done
Your board is more than just a list of tasks, it’s a path that coordinates activities from initiation to completion:
Intake and Clarification: Tasks move from the backlog through clarification stages, ensuring they’re ready for execution.
Specialist Engagement: Clearly define specialist requirements and subtask assignments to streamline execution.
Testing and Client Review: Incorporate phases for testing to ensure quality before the final client review. Keep this process fluid, allowing for feedback and adjustments.
Example Project Breakdown
Here’s a closer look at how various project types fit into a Kanban board:
Project A: Feature Delivery: Focuses on multi-disciplinary collaboration, leveraging specialists and subtasks to navigate intricate tasks.
Project B: Batch Art Assets: A streamlined focus on asset creation that involves validating styles before batch production.
Project C: Animation Assets: Task execution primarily by animators, simplifying subtasks and focusing on animation priorities.
Enhance Board Interaction
One key feature is the ability to apply filters. For instance, animators see only tasks ready for their action, reducing overwhelm and optimizing focus. This selective view empowers specialists to tackle the top-priority task without distraction.
Conclusion and Community Involvement
By setting up your Kanban board methodically, as outlined, task flow becomes simpler and more intuitive. We're eager to hear how this setup benefits your projects! Engage with us in the comments, share your questions, and join our community by subscribing.
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