Why was this document created?
Despite the growing adoption of Kanban across industries, many implementations have reduced it to a simple task board or a visual to-do list. The Open Guide responds to this by highlighting that Kanban is a full system: a pull-based, flow-optimized approach rooted in theory and practice.
It also reflects collective learning from diverse communities and feedback from practitioners who use Kanban in complex, non-manufacturing domains such as software, healthcare, operations, finance, education, and many more.
Who is this document for?
The Open Guide targets professionals engaged in knowledge work, where value is delivered through thinking, collaboration, and decision-making rather than repetitive tasks. It is relevant to Kanban and Agile practitioners, product managers, analysts, operations teams, and leadership looking to establish or evolve Kanban systems beyond a task board.
It is also a reference for trainers, consultants, and communities seeking a shared, precise vocabulary around Kanban.
Some changes and improvements
- A broader and more contextual set of flow metrics, including:
- Blocked Elapsed Time for Finished Items (BETFI)
- Cumulative Queueing or Buffer Time (CQBT)
- Flow Efficiency
- Flow Distribution
In the document, you will find additional metrics that help teams identify bottlenecks, assess systemic delays, and gain a better understanding of how long it truly takes to realize value.
- A stronger focus on outcomes and value realization — encouraging teams not only to track delivery speed and outputs, but also to measure if the delivered work meets stakeholder needs. Concepts like Validated vs. Invalidated Value, Time to Validated Value, and Failure Demand are central to this shift.
- A shift in tone: from minimalism and constraint to open, contextual guidance — while maintaining the core Kanban practices: defining and visualizing the workflow, actively managing it, and continuously improving it.
Remember, your context defines needs. The majority of practices or metrics are optional. You may consider using them when it’s appropriate.
In closing
I had the opportunity to contribute to the development of this guide as part of an international group of practitioners. It was a great experience to co-create something that aims to support teams and organizations in using Kanban more purposefully and effectively. Having this opportunity here, I would like to express my gratitude to John Anthony Coleman for inviting me to this initiative.
I warmly encourage you to read the full document — it is openly available to the entire community:
https://kanbanguides.org
Additionally, you may share your ideas and feedback here: https://github.com/KanbanGuides/OpenGuideToKanban/discussions
If you’d like to explore how to apply it in your context — from product teams to leadership workflows — I’d be happy to continue the conversation.
