May 1, 2024
Updated May 9, 2025
22 minute read
Kanban, at its core, is a visual system for managing work as it moves through a process. Originating from the manufacturing sector, specifically the Toyota Production System, Kanban aims to improve efficiency and workflow by making tasks and their progress visible to all team members. This method allows teams to identify potential bottlenecks and areas for improvement, leading to a smoother and more predictable output. It's a system designed not to overhaul existing processes entirely, but to evolve them incrementally.
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Find a path to becoming a Kanban. Learn more at:
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Reading list
We've selected 28 books
that we think will supplement your
learning. Use these to
develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a
deeper understanding of the topics covered in
Kanban.
This is considered the foundational book on the Kanban Method, often referred to as the 'blue book.' It provides a comprehensive introduction to Kanban's principles and practices, explaining its origins and how to implement it for evolutionary change in technology businesses. It's essential for gaining a broad understanding and classic in the field.
An advanced version of the Kanban Maturity Model book, this edition is specifically aimed at coaches and consultants guiding organizational transformations. It provides a detailed framework and guidance for implementing Kanban at scale and driving significant organizational change. It key resource for advanced practitioners and change leaders.
Focuses on the crucial aspect of metrics in a Kanban system, explaining how to use data to understand and improve workflow predictability. It delves into concepts like lead time, cycle time, and throughput, which are key to managing flow effectively. This book is highly relevant for those looking to deepen their understanding of Kanban beyond the basics and is valuable as a reference for performance analysis.
Introduces the Kanban Maturity Model, a framework for assessing and improving an organization's agility and resilience using Kanban. It's a valuable resource for coaches and change agents looking to guide organizations through their Kanban adoption journey. It contemporary topic in the Kanban field.
Classic guide to lean software development, which includes Kanban as a key practice. It provides a comprehensive overview of lean principles and practices, with a focus on improving software delivery.
Offers a deeper dive into the values and principles behind the Kanban Method, going beyond the mechanics of the board. It's valuable for understanding the 'why' behind Kanban and is recommended for those looking to solidify their understanding and apply Kanban effectively within an organization. It is suitable for both practitioners and leaders.
Focusing on the change management aspect of adopting Kanban, this book is valuable for understanding how to introduce and sustain Kanban within an organization. It addresses common pitfalls and provides practical tips for leading evolutionary change. is particularly useful for those in leadership or coaching roles.
Focusing on practical application, this book provides guidance on implementing Kanban in real-world scenarios. It addresses common challenges and offers solutions for optimizing flow and delivering value. This useful reference for practitioners looking for actionable advice.
The Spanish version of 'Essential Kanban Condensed,' this book offers a concise overview of the core Kanban concepts, principles, and practices in Spanish. It's an ideal resource for Spanish-speaking individuals seeking a foundational understanding or a quick reference.
A practical and no-nonsense introduction to Kanban, this book is based on the real-world experiences of two Kanban coaches. It covers techniques for planning, forecasting, metrics, and visualizing work. It's suitable for beginners and provides a solid foundation for implementing Kanban.
Focuses on the application of Kanban principles to the 'upstream' part of the workflow, which involves understanding and shaping demand before work enters the main flow. It's a valuable resource for those looking to optimize their entire value stream, not just the delivery process. It addresses a more specialized, contemporary topic in Kanban.
Explores the application of Kanban specifically within a software development project management context. It provides practical guidance for software teams looking to adopt Kanban or integrate it with existing agile practices. It's a good resource for those working in a software development environment.
This concise book explores the relationship between Kanban and Scrum, two popular Agile frameworks. It clarifies their similarities and differences and provides insights into how they can be used together effectively. It's particularly helpful for those with a Scrum background looking to incorporate Kanban practices.
An updated edition featuring additional case studies, this book continues to provide practical examples of Kanban implementation in various contexts. It's a valuable resource for learning from real-world experiences and seeing how Kanban can address common team and project challenges. Useful for practical insights and additional reading.
Provides a practical case study of implementing Kanban in a large-scale project within the Swedish police force. It offers valuable real-world insights and lessons learned, making it highly relevant for practitioners facing similar challenges. It's a good resource for seeing how Kanban principles are applied in practice and is valuable as additional reading.
Focuses on identifying and visualizing the invisible work that hinders flow and productivity. While not solely about Kanban boards, it strongly aligns with Kanban's principle of visualization and helps in understanding bottlenecks and interruptions. It's highly relevant for improving workflow in any context.
Co-authored by David J. Anderson, this book in Spanish explores the origins and early success stories of Kanban. It provides historical context and foundational knowledge for understanding the development of the Kanban Method. It's suitable for those who prefer learning in Spanish and want to understand the roots of Kanban.
While not exclusively about Kanban, this book presents the Fit-for-Purpose framework, which is closely related to Kanban and essential for understanding customer needs and delivering value. It helps organizations define and measure what it means to be 'fit for purpose' from the customer's perspective. provides valuable context for applying Kanban in a customer-centric way.
While not exclusively about Kanban, this book provides a deep understanding of the underlying principles of flow, variability, and queues that are fundamental to Kanban. It's a more advanced read but highly valuable for those looking to deepen their theoretical understanding and optimize systems. It serves as excellent additional reading for advanced practitioners.
This concise book focuses on the crucial Kanban principle of limiting Work in Progress (WIP) to improve flow and delivery. It's a practical guide for teams struggling with too much work in flight and provides actionable steps to improve focus and throughput. It's a good supplementary read for understanding a core Kanban practice.
While not strictly a Kanban book, 'The Lean Startup' introduces concepts like validated learning, build-measure-learn loops, and the importance of flow and limiting WIP, which are highly complementary to Kanban principles. It provides a broader business context for applying lean thinking. It is valuable as additional reading for understanding the underlying philosophy.
Explores the combination of Scrum and Kanban, coining the term 'Scrumban'. It discusses how teams can evolve from Scrum to a more flow-based system using Kanban principles. It's a relevant read for teams practicing Scrum who are interested in adopting Kanban elements.
While not strictly a Kanban book, this work on military Auftragstaktik (mission command) provides valuable insights into how to achieve clarity, alignment, and execution in complex environments. These principles are highly relevant to the successful implementation of Kanban and fostering a culture of empowered teams.
For more information about how these books relate to this course, visit:
OpenCourser.com/topic/jfgkop/kanba
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