A Kanban board is a powerful visual tool that helps teams manage work more efficiently. Originally developed in manufacturing, Kanban has become essential for modern project management, especially in agile environments where visibility and flexibility are crucial.
What is a Kanban Board and How Does It Work?
A Kanban board is a visual project management tool that uses cards, columns, and work-in-progress limits to represent tasks and workflow stages.
Core components of a Kanban board:
Columns: Represent different stages of work (e.g., To Do, In Progress, Done). Each column shows where tasks are in the workflow.
Cards: Represent individual tasks or work items. Cards move from left to right as work progresses through stages.
WIP Limits: Work-in-progress limits prevent bottlenecks by capping how many items can be in each column at once.
Swimlanes: Optional horizontal divisions that categorize work by project, team, or priority level.
Benefits of Using Kanban Boards
Kanban boards offer significant advantages for teams of all sizes:
Visual workflow clarity: Everyone can see the status of every task at a glance, eliminating the need for constant status meetings.
Bottleneck identification: When work piles up in a column, it's immediately visible. This helps teams address issues before they become critical.
Flexibility and adaptability: Unlike rigid methodologies, Kanban adapts to changes in priorities without disrupting the entire workflow.
Continuous improvement: The visual nature makes it easy to identify process inefficiencies and optimize over time.
Reduced multitasking: WIP limits force focus on completing work rather than starting new tasks.
How Monton Uses Kanban for Agency Workflows
Monton incorporates Kanban principles into its project management interface, tailored specifically for agency workflows:
Project-based boards: Each project gets its own Kanban view, making it easy to track deliverables and milestones.
Team visibility: See who's working on what across multiple projects, preventing resource conflicts.
Integrated time tracking: Cards connect directly to time entries, linking effort to profitability.
Custom columns: Configure workflow stages that match how your agency actually operates, from briefing to final delivery.
Whether you're managing a single campaign or dozens of client projects, visual workflow management helps agencies stay organized and deliver on time.