Kanban
Kanban is a work management method based on visualizing work items, limiting the number of tasks in progress simultaneously (WIP limits), and pulling new work only when capacity is available. It originated in Toyota's manufacturing system in the 1950s and was adapted for knowledge work by David Anderson in 2007.
Key Points
WIP limits prevent multitasking overload — a team with a WIP limit of 3 cannot start a 4th task until one finishes
Work is pulled, not pushed — new items enter the board only when the team has capacity
Continuous flow replaces fixed sprints — there are no sprint boundaries, just steady throughput
Cycle time (how long a task takes from start to finish) is the primary metric, not velocity
How Vizually.AI Uses This
Vizually.AI's canvas supports Kanban workflows using zones as columns (Backlog, In Progress, Review, Done) with cards moving between them. The AI Health Check calculates average cycle time and flags items that have been in one zone longer than the team's average — a visual WIP limit enforcement without rigid numerical caps.