{"id":2177,"date":"2018-03-06T09:00:23","date_gmt":"2018-03-06T09:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kovair.com\/blog\/?p=2177"},"modified":"2025-09-03T11:06:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T11:06:06","slug":"kanban-pull-system-improve-software-throughput","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kovair.com\/blogs\/kanban-pull-system-improve-software-throughput\/","title":{"rendered":"Kanban Pull System: A Simple Way to Improve Software Throughput"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Kanban\"
\nIn order to break down the traditional cycle of production, Toyota, a global brand popularly known as the leader in the automotive industry, introduced a new methodology that followed the \u2018Just-In-Time’ principle.<\/p>\n

This new methodology is termed as Kanban methodology. The methodology enables engineers to create a highly visualized communication network among team members. As a result, deciding the \u2018What\u2019, \u2018When\u2019 and \u2018How\u2019 becomes much easier along with streamlining the manufacturing process and improving the overall productivity.<\/p>\n

Before we get into the details, let us begin with the basics first. Like for instance \u2013<\/p>\n

What is Kanban and how does it differ from other software development methodologies?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Kanban is a Japanese term meaning \u2018Signboard\u2019. Originally coined by Toyota, it was used as a scheduling system to decide what to produce, when to produce, and how much to produce.<\/p>\n

\"Kanban\"<\/p>\n

Figure:<\/strong> Kanban Storage area at Motomachi Plant of Toyota<\/p>\n

Based on customer demand and available capacity, Kanban helps to streamline the flow of items by pulling them accordingly. We call this the Pull Mechanism as it allows timely replacement of product backlogs, just like refilling a car tank on noticing the red light on the gas gauge blink while driving.<\/p>\n

In Kanban, an individual work is represented as Card. When pulled on a Kanban Board, the Cards\u00a0serve as a signaling system. It limits the Work in Progress in any phase or lane and hence makes close monitoring easier. It must be noted that you can never pull the Cards on to the Board unless there is an adequate number of resources available.<\/p>\n

With Kanban, anyone can pull a task from a previous stage to the next stage. Developers can pull out completed tasks, QA engineers can pull out already built tasks, and Release Managers can pull out tasks after it has been tested.<\/p>\n

As a Pull System, it ensures that resources are drawn into the work pipeline only when they are actually required. Hence, it differs from the Push System mechanism that usually has to depend on forecasts and schedules to drive the flow of production. A Push system tends to have a larger inventory compared to the Pull System that minimizes the inventory.<\/p>\n

But most important of all, Kanban also helps to improve the production environment in terms of organizational throughput. It increases a team\u2019s overall throughput<\/strong><\/a> in the following ways –<\/p>\n