Description: Task completion in the context of Kanban refers to the act of finishing a task and moving it to the completed state. This process is fundamental for visual work management, as it allows teams and individuals to have a clear view of the progress of their projects. In a Kanban board, tasks are represented as cards that move through different columns indicating their status, from ‘To Do’ to ‘In Progress’ and finally ‘Completed’. Completing a task not only implies that the work has been done, but also that it has been verified and validated, ensuring it meets the established acceptance criteria. The act of moving the card to the completed column provides a sense of achievement and motivation, as well as allowing for better planning and prioritization of future tasks. Visualizing the workflow and task completion is essential for identifying bottlenecks and improving team efficiency, contributing to a cycle of continuous improvement in project management.
History: The Kanban method was developed in the 1940s by Taiichi Ohno, an engineer at Toyota, as part of the Toyota Production System. Its goal was to improve efficiency and reduce waste in production. Over the years, the Kanban approach has been adapted and adopted in various industries beyond manufacturing, including software development and project management. Task completion has become a key component of this system, allowing teams to visualize their progress and manage their workload more effectively.
Uses: Task completion is used in agile work environments to improve visibility of progress and facilitate collaboration among team members. It is common in various fields, including software development and project management, where tasks are broken down into manageable units. It is also applied in sprint planning and in identifying areas for improvement in the work process.
Examples: An example of task completion in a software development team could be the implementation of a new feature in an application. Once the developer has completed the coding and conducted the necessary tests, they would move the corresponding card to the ‘Completed’ column on the Kanban board. Another example could be in a marketing team, where creating an advertising campaign is considered a task. Once all elements of the campaign are finished, the team would move the task card to the ‘Completed’ column, indicating that the campaign is ready to be launched.
