How a Startup Can Optimize the Process When Creating a Product: Agile, SCRUM, Kanban Boards
by Josh Biggs in Business on 16th March 2023Let’s dismantle the organization of the workflow and teamwork management organization using sprints, kanban, and daily meetings in an online project management software such as Planfix to understand the priorities and vector of project development clearly.
A million books, articles, and podcasts mention this topic. The flow of information makes the head spin: turquoise organizations, Agile, SCRUM, Kanban, team proactivity, task management, staff management, and more. In this article, we will describe the main points, help you figure out what’s what, and organize a business process as effectively as possible.
Optimization Methods
The organization of work according to the methodology used in many startups – Agile helps reduce time and understand a clear benchmark.
In short, this is a whole philosophy that implies a horizontal management model. All employees are equal and are responsible for the result. This approach only works if all your employees know how to work in the project management system, even when you are not standing behind them.
Within this philosophy, there are two mutually supporting and, at the same time, independent SCRUM tools and kanban boards.
The principal value of SCRUM is that you and your team will have a clear understanding of the short and long-term goals and specific deadlines for the implementation of priority tasks in the task management system.
Everything is clear – there is a goal, a sprint for a week or two, responsible people, a measurable result, and a CRM with a control system. You are constantly in touch and know what your employees are doing.
SCRUM also uses kanban boards to show the progress of work.
The main value of kanban is to keep the flow of tasks and make the teamwork process transparent. The process looks like this:
- set a global goal;
- prescribe tasks;
- we take the task to work;
- we transfer from stage to stage until the completion of work on it;
- repeat the cycle with another task.
If you follow our simple guide, the process will become even easier.
More About Each Principle
If the team you manage has up to 9 people and 1 area of responsibility, for example, development, then one board is enough for you.
Suppose you simultaneously manage development, product, and marketing teams. In that case, we advise you to create a separate board for each process and not interfere with everything in one funnel. Otherwise, you will get a warehouse of tasks for each direction instead of transparency.
Sprints. A sprint is a specific time, often a week or two, when a team focuses on a particular pool of tasks within a single product goal. The manager often sets a limit on the number of tasks.
Daily meeting. An important point that should be discussed on the shore is that if you decide to implement this principle, then you need to convey its value to the team.
Otherwise, there is a risk of slipping into reports and wasting time at the beginning of the day. And then, as you set the tone of the day, so run on.
The value of such calls is synchronization and transparency. For example, what tasks have already been done, what are we planning to do, and are there any difficulties that we cannot solve on our own?
Kanban board. After the goal for the sprint is set, the tasks are scattered – they need to be placed on the kanban board.
You can use a real corkboard with stickers or implement a ready-made service with a kanban board. Break the board into the following stages: Backlog, To do, Doing, and Done.
These principles apply to more than just development. For example, you can safely implement for marketing, content, and promotion teams. The same methodology can be used for personal planning.
The article’s main idea: if you want to optimize your work, look for tools, delve into them, take the best, and only then implement it for your team. Only then will the tool work for you.