8 Benefits of Using Kanban for Software Development

Finding the right methodology is the first step to building a product. Any development process is fraught with obstacles, and in software development that’s especially true as there are few physical limits in a virtual development process. Kanban boards are a project management system that enables a process of production to be closely linked to customer needs, creating a system of development that’s sensitive to the demands of the market. Kanban enables your projects to be expertly suited to the market.

Why You Should Implement Kanban for Software Development

“Kanban is applicable in almost every planning and development position but for software development it’s becoming increasingly vital,” says Sara Ervin, a business writer at Australia2write and Write My X. “It’s harder to strike the balance with Kanban in software development compared to, say, manufacturing because of the complexity of the human brain, but once you do achieve that balance your workflow will dramatically improve.” Let’s look at 8 reasons why IT companies should be using Kanban for software development.

1) Defining Bottlenecks

Bottlenecks emerge easily with traditional task lists, but Kanban boards revolutionize task structure so that bottlenecks stand out in sharp contrast. By using Kanban for software development processes, WIP (Work In Progress) limits are immediately identified so you’ll never have more processes running that you can manage.

2) Improved Concentration

When developing software, concentration at the task at hand is essential – if there’s a backlog of work piling up meaning engineers’ attention is distributed, errors and inefficiencies slip in. Virtual Kanban boards such as Kanban Zone has a Task Filter which provides a smart way of filtering out the distribution of tasks throughout the workforce. 

3) Panoramic Project Views

Whilst focus is important in software development, keeping an eye on the bigger picture means that user experience and functionality are core values of the outcome. By using Kanban for software development, it’s a lot easier for developers to have the whole project available at a glance. When you open up the Kanban board, there’s an immediate overview of the whole project.

4) Prioritization

Kanban boards offer a great visual solution to the problem of prioritizing release order. The vertically structured hierarchy of tasks makes it easy to define priorities. “As projects evolve the requirements are in constant flux,” says Grace Trumbo, a marketer at BritStudent and PhD Kingdom. “Fortunately, Kanban boards are dynamic and have an inbuilt ability to adapt to the changing demands of the project.”

5) Greater Flexibility

Software development needs to be an adaptable process that’s in touch with the needs of a range of stakeholders. With traditional project management methodologies, programmers often fall into tightly structured habits but Kanban boards encourage flexibility without resistance. By implementing Kanban for software development processes, it’s a lot easier to break down large tasks into smaller ones, meaning you have more moving parts within your development process and more flexibility as a result.

6) A Little Less Conversation, A Little More Action

Scrum methods inevitably mean a lot of communication and it takes time to facilitate that flow of information. Using Kanban for software development helps improve facilitation through the use of visually intuitive boards, helping the whole team have an implicit understanding of the project. That means there’s less time wasted discussing the work that needs to be done and more time invested in the hard tasks of the project.

7) Team Cohesion

Kanban boards enable greater integration between developers and testers. Thanks to the fast workflow produced through Kanban boards, testers can start work as soon as a feature is ready to go, meaning that when their findings are put in front of developers they’re highly relevant. Traditional techniques could leave large gaps between testing and development, creating a void where valuable information was lost – with Kanban boards, this void is sealed up.

8) Capturing Errors

Mistakes are a part of the development process and the quicker they can be identified and converted into actionable changes the stronger your software will be. Kanban enables features to be seamlessly launched as soon as testing has finished. That means customers are immediately using your product in the real world. As they do so, mistakes and solutions will be identified swiftly.

Conclusion

There are so many reasons to use Kanban for software development, making it a popular framework for Agile teams. By using Kanban effectively, software development teams can experience a smoother process in accomplishing projects no matter their sizes. To learn more about how Kanban can help improve your processes, check out Kanban Zone to gain access to Kanban software that helps you get more work done. Also, make sure to use our Software Development board template or the board we use to develop Kanban Zone. 

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