Productivity methods
Personal kanban, two simple rules.
Put your work on a board you can see, and limit how much is in progress at once.
· 3 min read · 6 steps
- Described by
- Jim Benson and Tonianne DeMaria Barry
- Book
- 2011
- Rules
- Visualise work, limit WIP
- Best for
- Too much in progress
What it is and where it began.
Personal kanban is a board for your own work. Tasks are cards that move through columns, usually To do, Doing and Done. You see at a glance what is waiting, what is in progress and what is finished.
Jim Benson and Tonianne DeMaria Barry described it in their 2011 book Personal Kanban: Mapping Work, Navigating Life. The method has two rules: visualise your work, and limit your work in progress [1].
The word kanban comes from manufacturing. It is associated with the Toyota Production System, which Toyota credits to Taiichi Ohno [2]. Personal kanban borrows the idea of pulling work only when there is room for it.
How to do it, step by step.
Set up three columns
Start with To do, Doing and Done. You can add more later, such as Waiting.
Put every task on a card
Write each task you have on its own card in To do.
Pick a limit for Doing
Decide how many cards may be in Doing at once. Two or three is a common start for one person.
Pull work when there is room
Only move a new card into Doing when another one leaves. If Doing is full, finish something first.
Move cards to Done
Finished cards go to Done. Seeing them pile up is part of the point.
Look at the board regularly
Notice where cards get stuck and why. Change the columns or the limit when the board stops matching your work.
Who it suits, and its limits.
It suits you if
- You start many things and finish few.
- You think visually and like to see the whole picture.
- Your work moves through stages, like drafting, review and done.
Where it falls short
- A board shows status well but dates poorly; deadlines need a calendar or due dates as well.
- With dozens of small tasks the board gets crowded. Many people keep a list for small things and a board for projects.
- The work-in-progress limit only helps if you respect it, and nothing forces you to.
Common mistakes to avoid.
No limit on Doing
Without the second rule a board is just a prettier list. The limit is what makes you finish.
Too many columns
Ten columns for one person adds bookkeeping. Start with three.
Cards that are too big
"Renovate the kitchen" sits in Doing for months. Break it into cards that can move within days.
Never clearing Done
Celebrate it, then archive. A full Done column hides what is moving now.
How to do it in thisflow.
Each step uses a feature that is in the app today.
Sections become columns
Give a project sections such as To do, Doing and Done, and switch to the board: sections are its columns. A team project starts with To do, In progress and Done.
Drag cards, list follows
Drag a card to the next column, and the list and the calendar show the same move. On a keyboard, J and K walk the cards.
Add to a column
The add field at the bottom of a column puts the task there and reads it like quick add.
One project per area
Keep a board for each area, such as Home or Clients, and a list view for small things.
Questions and answers.
What does WIP mean?
Work in progress: the tasks you have started but not finished. Limiting it is the second rule of personal kanban.
How many tasks should be in progress at once?
There is no fixed number. One person often starts with two or three and adjusts when work keeps stalling or the limit feels too tight.
Is personal kanban the same as Trello-style boards?
The board looks the same. What makes it personal kanban is the second rule: a limit on work in progress.
Does thisflow enforce a WIP limit?
No. thisflow has a board where sections are columns, but it does not block you from adding cards. You keep the limit yourself.
Sources
Numbers in the text, like [1], point to these sources.
- [1]Personal Kanban 101personalkanban.com/personal-kanban-101/
- [2]Toyota: Toyota Production Systemglobal.toyota/en/company/vision-and-philosophy/production-system/
More methods to try.
Eat the frog
Do your most important and least appealing task first thing.
The 1-3-5 rule
One big task, three medium and five small ones: a list that fits in a day.
Weekly review
Once a week, clear your inboxes, check every list and plan next week.
Put your work on a board.
Free during the beta. The same tasks as a list, a board or a calendar.