Stay on Track. Spot Bottlenecks. Improve Flow.
At Kanban Zone, we use Service Level Expectations (SLEs) rather than Service Level Agreements (SLAs) because they better support the way work naturally flows.
SLAs enforce strict deadlines and penalties, while SLEs provide guidance based on a team’s actual performance data, helping forecast completion times while respecting that different work items require different amounts of time.
Think of SLEs as a weather forecast rather than a deadline: they tell you what is likely to happen based on real work patterns, not on what must happen by mandate.
This approach leads to better quality work and more accurate planning.
What is a Service Level Expectation (SLE)?
A Service Level Expectation (SLE) is a time-based commitment that sets how long work items should stay in a specific workflow stage or column on your Kanban board.
Think of it as a promise:
Cards in this column should move forward within X days.
SLEs help you predict work cycle times, set realistic expectations, and uncover hidden delays in your process
Why Use SLEs in Kanban Zone?
Most teams know something is stuck, only after it’s already a problem.
With Kanban Zone’s built-in SLEs, you’ll get real-time visual alerts in a column when a card exceeds its target duration. It’s a simple but powerful way to keep work flowing and reduce aging.
Get alerted with a red visual cue when a card breaks its SLE
Use real historical data to set smarter SLEs
Identify slow columns and take action
Improve delivery predictability without the need for estimates
Get alerted with a red visual cue when a card breaks its SLE
Use real historical data to set smarter SLEs
Identify slow columns and take action
Improve delivery predictability without the need for estimates
How SLEs Work in Kanban Zone
The Montessori School of the Berkshires follows the Association Montessori International (AMI) approach towards educating its students, which is already an established educational model and perspective. But with 26 employees to manage, all with different roles and responsibilities, The Montessori School of the Berkshires faces several challenges:
See Your Data: Every column shows the average time cards have spent there over the past 4 weeks. Use this live data to set realistic, achievable SLEs.
Set Your SLE: You can define an SLE for any column on your board. For example: “No card should stay here longer than 3 days.
Get Visual Alerts: When a card exceeds its SLE, it automatically turns red. It’s your cue to act – reassign, unblock, or escalate.
Continuously Improve: With visibility into where work stalls, you can tweak your process, re-balance workloads, and improve overall efficiency.
Example
Let’s say your “Review” column has an average dwell time of 2.4 days over the past 4 weeks.
You set an SLE of 3 days.
Whenever a card stays in “Review” for more than 3 days, the “Time in Column” badge will turn red, prompting you to investigate and resolve the delay.
Learn more about SLEs in this knowledge base article.
Why It Matters
Setting SLEs empowers teams to shift from reactive to proactive.
Instead of wondering why deadlines are missed, you get early warnings that let you course-correct.
It’s a practical way to bring the benefits of Flow Metrics into everyday work, without adding complexity.
Start Using SLEs Today
Go to any Kanban board, check the average time per column, and set your SLEs.
Start small, observe the results, and refine over time.
Make flow problems visible
Catch delays before they snowball
Deliver with confidence
Already using a tool like Kanban Zone?
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