Posted by Kanban boards were created in the 1950s by Toyota to help their manufacturing and engineering processes go faster. They used physical color-coded cards to communicate throughout the manufacturing floor where the process was and what materials were needed to finish the job.
Taiichi Ohno, industrial engineer for Toyota created the Kanban system to work more efficiently.
Word Nerd Alert: Kanban is the Japanese word for “visual signal” or “card.”
- Trello editorial board screenshot from the Trello website: https://trello.com/about/logo
According to Inc. Magazine, approximately 65 percent of the population are visual learners, around 30 percent of the population is made up of auditory learners, who learn best through hearing, and Kinesthetic learners (those who learn best through lectures and conferences) make up just 5 percent of the population. So, no wonder Kanban boards are so prevalent in the workforce.
I use Trello for my editorial Kanban board. Looking back to 2017, you can see the original blog post where I was toying with the idea of trying out Trello. A year and a half later, I can say that it helps me keep organized, and not let dates slip. I keep a board for each client I am working with, with their individual projects on cards, color-coded for transparency. I can see at a glance what is coming up, and what is needed to do NOW. I can maneuver the cards to change the priority depending on what comes up at the last minute, and see if I have time in the editorial calendar to fit it in.
I admit I cannot live without my paper planner, Post-it Notes, colored pens, or magnetic clips, however. What happens if the Internet / WiFi goes down?
The first step is admitting you have a problem…
“My name is Dara Rochlin and I am an office supply junkie”
So, tell me, are you a physical planner type, or a virtual planner? Are you a Post-it Notes on the whiteboard type? Enquiring minds want to know!
Featured image courtesy of LeanKit
Dara Rochlin Book Doctor 