Sushi is my favorite food. Nothing makes me happier then gently dipping thick, fresh futomaki in soy sauce and enjoying its vinegary flavor as I look at the next piece.
My boyfriend and my best friend, who are my closest friends, don’t like sushi. My boyfriend is allergic. My best friend doesn’t like raw fish. This means that they have been spared my favorite demonstration of how food management and project management can work together.
Kanban is a popular technique in sushi restaurants all over the country.
This sushi menu is courtesy of Sushi 1 Novi, Novi, Michigan. The red star indicates what is being made. The quantity is represented by the blue star. The price is clearly marked with the purple star. The purple star is used to indicate the price of each individual order. The entire process is visual and they don’t have to do much work in order to sort out complex orders. The table number is printed on the card to ensure that all deliverables are promptly sent to the right stakeholder.
This method is used by the sushi business because it is visual, easy to learn and understand. The same principle applies to Kanban boards.
Cards are placed on boards in a traditional Kanban system. The cards are labeled with the piece of work they represent, the amount of work required, and the due date. The details are not necessary, but they don’t distract from the quick viewing experience.
Many people use the Kanban method. It is used by Capterra to manage its editorial process. It is used by Spotify to streamline their operations. It is used by the Motley Fool to manage their IT project portfolio. Other tech companies, such as Kickstarter, PayPal, and Google, also use Kanban methods regularly.
The system is simple to use with a whiteboard and sticky notes. However, there are many outstanding project management software that supports Kanban in the Cloud. Kanban software is available that has been specifically designed to simplify this process.
Because I am such a big fan of the system, this list includes online Kanban software. Some of these online Kanban tools are completely free, while others require a small fee to use their system. The systems below can be used in any industry.
They are arranged alphabetically and not in order to preference.
1. Kanbanchi
Capterra has awarded Kanbanchi a 4.5/5 star rating. The system is beautiful from an aesthetic standpoint. Kanbanchi allows users to create dashboards that can be converted to Google Drive files. The whole system is simple to use and easy to learn. Are you looking for software solutions that offer similar features? These Kanbanchi alternatives may be worth considering.
Pros:
Cons:
Basic features are free of charge Add-on features, like Gantt charts, start at $10 per user per month.
Have you used Kanbanchi? Leave a review
2. LeanKit
I don’t think it’s surprising that you’ve heard of LeanKit. Major companies like Verizon, Adobe and Siemens rely on it to keep them running smoothly.
LeanKit’s uniqueness is that it can be used to help you manage your project from a variety processes. Cards can have dependencies. New users will experience a short learning curve. It provides reporting for flow, quality, lead time, and lead times. Overall, LeanKit can be a powerful tool for small and large businesses, but I wouldn’t recommend it to individuals. You might be interested in other products that offer similar features. These LeanKit alternatives might be the right product for you.
Pros:
Cons:
Templates, unlimited boards, time reporting, and other standard features are $12 per user per monthly. You can add functionality to the cost. For example, $19 per month will get you unlimited boards, time reports, and templates. $32 per month will get you filtered work views, reports, and reports.
