This document discusses personal Kanban, which is a method for visualizing and limiting work to improve productivity. It begins with an overview of what a Kanban system is and why personal Kanbans are useful. It then provides tips for setting up a personal Kanban board with columns for to-do, doing, and done work. Rules discussed include visualizing your workflow and limiting work-in-progress. Additional tips cover using a Kanban to plan work, pull work as capacity allows, and reflect on progress through personal retrospectives to enable continuous improvement. Managing work this way can help reduce fear of change and overcommitment while still leaving time to enjoy life.

1. Personal Kanban
Fighting “Busy”ness
TJ Gokcen
Chief Software Architect at codebyts
codebyts

2. Agenda
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What is a Kanban?
Basics of Personal Kanban
Personal Retrospective
Overcoming Fear of Change
Tips and Tricks

3. codebyts
TJ Gokcen
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Chief Software Architect at codebyts
Kanban, Kaizen advocate
@tjgokcen @codebyts
www.codebyts.com

4. A tool to visualize, organize and complete work
What is a Kanban?

5. Why Personal Kanban?

6. Rule #1: Visualize Your Workflow

7. •
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Language: Linear decoding
•
Children recognize objects before they
can speak
•
Visualize: Why does it matter?
Images : Simultaneously deciphered
•
© www.visual-learners.com
93% communication is non-verbal
Visuals are processed 60,000 times
faster than text

8. Rule #2: Limit Your Work

9. Think of your favourite person or letters from A-J, and numbers 1-10
With the timer ready
1. Write each word on separate lines. Time it.
2. Write each word letter by letter on separate lines, switching
from word to word.
letters and numbers would be
ABCDEFGHIJ
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
In this case, first A, then 1, then B, then 2 and so on…
Context Switching Game

10. To-Do
Kanban Board
Doing
Done

11. To-Do
To-Do Column
Doing
Done

12. To-Do
Doing Column
Doing
Done

13. To-Do
Done Column
Doing
Done

14. To-Do
Doing
Done
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
Plan
How does a Kanban Board Work?
My Kanban Board
Do

15. To-Do
Doing
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
Pull the work you are ready to do.
My Kanban Board – Pull System
Done

16. To-Do
Doing
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
Putting on the brakes
WIP the Work
Done

17. Zeigarnik Effect

18. To-Do
Doing (2)
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
Putting on the brakes
WIP the Work
Done

19. To-Do
Doing (2)
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
Work that needs feedback before continuing
Intervention
Done
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
dfwgwrgrgwrgg

20. 11-12-2013
Finalize contract for Project X with
Mr John Smith (jsmith@xyz.com.au)
08-12-2013 : Sent estimate, waiting for response
Waiting for a Response

21. To-Do
Doing (2)
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
Waiting Room
dfwgwrgrgwrgg
Waiting Room
Done

22. - We planned
- Then we did
- Now we check
and reflect back
Personal Retrospective

23. - And how can we improve? We act on it.
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Within tasks…
Within process…
Changing WIP and its effects…
Can visualization be improved?
Personal Kaizen (Continuous Improvement Culture)

24. Fear of Change

25. - Always leave slack. No one can always run at 100% capacity. 70% is
good for improvement.
- There will be days where things go haywire. It’s life. Embrace it.
- But also ask: How can I reduce unexpected work? (there may or may not be
a way to do this).
- Stay loose. Process should never be the bottleneck.
- Simplify. It’s a journey, not a race.
Tips and Tricks

26. - Everyday you are given $86,400
- But you can’t take it to next day.
- Whatever you do not spend, is lost.
- How would you spend it?
Free Time != Capacity

27. Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted
- John Lennon
Enjoy Life

28. Thank You