Kanban training courses

Kanban is a visual system for managing and optimizing work processes. Kanban is based on the idea of using visual signals to control and improve the workflow and is based upon several key principles.

Kanban in Japanese means ‘billboard’ or ‘signboard’. When managing work, Kanban refers to a visual system which uses cards amongst other signals to represent items of work and then be able to track their progress through a process.

Kanban is a ‘pull’ rather than a ‘push’ system. Kanban ‘pulls’ work through the system, rather than ‘pushing’ it from one step to the next. In a Kanban system this means that work is only started when there is capacity to process it. In Kanban work is never added to a system that is already overloaded.

Kanban was first developed by Taiichi Ohno, a Toyota engineer, in the late 1940s. Ohno designed Kanban as a scheduling system for Toyota’s manufacturing line.

Ohno wanted to find a way to optimize the flow of materials through the manufacturing process and reduce waste. He introduced the use of a simple card system to signal the need for materials and help regulate production. Since then, Kanban has been refined and adapted, and eventually spread to other industries and types of work.

Kanban is composed of several principles, including visualizing work, limiting work in progress (WIP), managing flow, explicitly defining process policies, feedback loops, and continuous improvement. These principles are designed to help organizations and teams to optimize their working processes, reduce waste, and increase their efficiency and quality of outputs.

Kanban certification is a formal recognition of an individual’s knowledge and expertise in Kanban.

There are several organizations that offer Kanban certification, such as the Kanban University, Lean Kanban Inc., and the Project Management Institute (PMI). These organizations offer different levels of certification, ranging from foundational to advanced, and may require individuals to pass an exam, complete training, or demonstrate their knowledge and experience in Kanban.

Kanban certification can provide individuals with a structured way to learn about Kanban, deepen their knowledge and understanding of the methodology, and enhance their credibility and professional development. It can also provide individuals with opportunities to connect with other Kanban practitioners and experts, and to contribute more effectively to their team and organization.

Organisations

Using Kanban yields several benefits for organisations, including:

1. Improved visibility

Kanban boards provide a visual representation of work, which makes it easy for everyone to see what tasks are in progress, what tasks are completed, and what tasks are waiting to be done.

2. Enhanced efficiency

Kanban emphasizes the flow of work and limiting work in progress, which helps to reduce the time and effort spent on tasks, while increasing throughput and reducing lead times.

3. Increased collaboration

Kanban encourages teams to work together and collaborate on tasks, which helps to break down silos and improve communication and teamwork.

4. Increased flexibility

Kanban is a highly flexible methodology that can be adapted to different work contexts and can be used for managing projects, products, and services.

5. Continuous improvement

Kanban is based on the principle of continuous improvement, which means that teams are constantly looking for ways to improve their processes and deliver more value to their customers.

6. Better predictability

By using data and metrics, Kanban helps teams to better predict the time it takes to complete tasks and to deliver work to their customers.

7. Improved quality

Kanban emphasizes quality and encourages teams to focus on delivering high-quality work by reducing defects, errors, and rework.

Overall, using Kanban can help organizations to work more efficiently, deliver higher quality work, and provide greater value to their customers.

Individuals

Gaining Kanban certification provides these benefits to individuals:

1. Enhanced knowledge

Kanban certification provides a structured way to learn about Kanban, its principles, and its practices, which helps individuals to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the methodology.

2. Improved credibility

Kanban certification demonstrates to employers, clients, and peers that an individual has achieved a certain level of competence and expertise in Kanban, which can enhance their professional credibility.

3. Career advancement

Kanban certification can help individuals to stand out in a crowded job market and can open up new career opportunities and promotions.

4. Networking

Kanban certification can provide individuals with opportunities to connect with other Kanban practitioners and experts, which can lead to new collaborations, knowledge sharing, and professional development.

5. Better performance

Kanban certification can improve an individual’s performance by providing them with the knowledge and tools to manage work more efficiently, improve quality, and deliver more value to their customers.

6. Greater confidence

Kanban certification can boost an individual’s confidence by giving them the skills and knowledge to tackle complex work challenges, and to contribute more effectively to their team and organization.

Overall, Kanban certification can provide individuals with a structured way to learn about and master Kanban, which can enhance their credibility, career prospects, performance, and confidence.

Yes. Kanban qualifications has become increasingly popular in recent years, as more organizations are adopting Kanban to manage work, and as more individuals are seeking to deepen their knowledge and expertise in the methodology.

Several organizations provide Kanban certification, ranging from foundational to advanced, and may require individuals to pass an exam, complete training, or demonstrate their knowledge and experience in Kanban.

In addition, many companies and organizations are recognizing the value of Kanban certification and are either encouraging or requiring their employees to become certified. This is because Kanban certification can provide individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to manage work more efficiently, improve quality, and deliver more value to their customers, which in turn can benefit the organization.

Overall, Kanban certification has become a popular way for individuals to demonstrate their knowledge and expertise in Kanban, and for organizations to ensure that their employees have the skills and knowledge needed to effectively manage work using the methodology.

The most well-known qualifications in Kanban are those from Kanban University. We offer training in the 2 pre-requisite courses required to gain the Kanban Management Professional (KMP) qualification.

There is no exam for Kanban Management Professional (KMP). You simply need to attend the 2 prerequisite courses.

Kanban University offer several Kanban certifications, but the most popular is Kanban Management Professional (KMP).

Kanban Management Professional (KMP)

You can gain this credential by completing both the Kanban System Design (KPM I) and Kanban Systems Improvement (KPM II) courses.

After gaining their KMP status you should be able to design a Kanban system and evolve and scale it beyond the team.

Instructor-led courses

Our instructor-led Kanban training courses are taught by experienced Kanban trainers. To check whether there are instructor-led Kanban classroom courses near you, or a virtual instructor-led course hosted on the internet, check the dates on the Kanban System Design or Kanban Systems Improvement pages.