IT industry is slowly realizing that Kanban (Method) can be used for development projects too, and most teams report improved rhythm in the flow of work within a short span of 1 to 3 months. The challenge they often face is complacency or inertia after the initial success. That is, they fail to take it to the next level after the initial gain. And, this is exactly what Kanban's powerful metrics can help you avoid.
Unfortunately, most teams (and even expert agile coaches) are not well versed with them. Add to that, poor Kanban support by popular Agile tools like Jira and TFS.
Here is a list of some common Kanban metrics that can help fuel the continuous improvement (kaizen) cycle for your team:
- Cumulative Flow DIagram (CFD)
- Control chart or Run chart
- Lead time distribution
- Throughput chart
Please see here a slideshare that talks about different Kanban metrics, with real life examples.
Comping up soon - Videos explaining different Kanban metrics!
