In my last posting I explained the
Kanban system. This posting I will make a Kanban board. Now I didn't come up with this design, but several teams at work use the design, so I am making one as well.
This is what the final product looks like:
As you can see, there are sections for "To Do", "Active" and "Tested/Complete". The columns are the iterations or major breakdowns in tasks. And there are "flaps" or "pockets" for story cards to hang in.
This is is all made with materials that you can get at any office supply store.
Supplies:
- Tri-fold display board, like kids use for science projects. You can use poster board, but this is thicker and more sturdy.
- 2 pads of Post-it brand Padded Cards (2 7/8" x 4 7/8"). This is basically a big pad of Post-it Notes in index card form. These are used for the "flaps" or "pockets".
- 2 packages of Mead bookmark index cards (3" x 5"). These are index cards with rounded corners, a colored tab at the top, and a flap that allows it to be "hung" on a page. These are used for your task/story cards.
- 1 package of Post-it Sortable Cards. These are Post-it Notes in index card form, but they have a colored title bar at the top. Make sure that you get the multicolored pack. These are used for the titles of the columns and the "To Do" and "Active" titles on the left side.
- 2 sharpie pens
Less than $20 for supplies
Step 1:
Cut a few colored Post-it Sortable Cards in half length-wise. Write your column headings on them. I used Iteration 1, Iteration 2, Iteration 3, Iteration 4. You can fit 4 columns on this board. Starting on the right, line these cards up across the top so that they are flush with each other.
Step 2:
Now peel off one of the Post-it brand Padded index cards (the plain ones). Stick a Mead bookmark index card on the top so that the stick-em on the index card is down. Now, from the right, line this up with your column heading so that the top of the bookmark card is just under the column heading. Add index cards to the left along the same row so that they are flush with each other. These are the "flaps" or "pockets" for your cards.
Now repeat rows. Align each row so that the next row is slightly below the row above it when you have a bookmarked index card inserted into it.
Keep repeating rows. Leave a space between your "To Do" section, your "Active" section, and the "Tested/Complete" section. I have three sections. The "To Do" section has five rows, the "Active" section has ten rows, and the "Tested/Complete" section has five rows.
Step 3:
Cut three colored Post-it Sortable Cards in half length-wise. Write your row headings, "To Do", "Active", "Tested/Complete" or whatever, on them. Put them in the left column.
And now you have a Kanban board.