When applying the Kanban method within an organization, reports can be used to generate insights into workflows and communicate work progress, issues, and risks to stakeholders. Metrics are used alongside reports to help an organization understand the current state of workflows and processes, which, in turn, assist the team in making informed decisions about changes that can bring improvements. Using metrics can also help an organization commit to and efficiently meet the service or product obligations of its customers, including factors related to time, cost, quality, risk, and scope. Some of the key metrics on which reports are based in Kanban include Work in Progress (WIP), Aging Work in Progress (or Work Item Age), Cycle Time, Throughput, Lead Time, Takt Time, Queue Length, and Flow Efficiency.
Many digital Kanban tools enable practitioners to leverage elaborate, AI-driven reports to make data-driven decisions. Some of the key reports used in Kanban are:
- Workflow Reports
- Team Reports
- Individual Performance Reports
- Cycle Time Reports
- Lead Time Distribution Reports
- Flow Efficiency Reports
- Throughput Reports
- Work in Progress (WIP) and WIP Aging Reports
- Cumulative Flow Diagrams (CFD)
- Blocker and Cluster Analysis Reports
- Capacity Utilization Reports
- Forecasting Reports
- Burndown Charts
- Service-Level Agreement (SLA) Adherence Reports
Many organizations prefer to generate reports related to the performance of individuals, teams, workflows, projects, DevOps initiatives, operations, etc. This can be facilitated through the use of a digital Kanban tool or a SaaS product. These tools provide real-time dashboards and comprehensive reports to manage work efficiently, even when teams are not collocated.
Figures 4-1, 4-2, and 4-3 provide an overview of real-time reports dashboard that a Product Owner or a Kanban Manager can use to track progress in a digital Kanban tool:
Figure 4.1: Reports Overview (Source: Vabro)
Figure 4-1 presents a dashboard in Vabro displaying various reports categorized under “Kanban" methodology. It features visual representations of key metrics like sprint burndown, velocity, lead time, and cycle time, offering insights into work progress and team performance.
Figure 4.2: Reporting Progress Updates to Stakeholders (Source: Basecamp)
Figure 4-2 shows a dashboard, specifically the "Home" screen of Basecamp, displaying active initiatives and teams. It highlights the "Orange Team" with a focus on their completed initiatives and progress, alongside other teams and their ongoing initiatives with deadlines and progress indicators.
Figure 4.3: Types of Reports in Kanban (Source: Kanbanchi)
Figure 4-3 above shows the Kanbanchi Kanban interface, displaying options to create or browse Kanban Boards, access reports (including Agile charts), and manage user settings, highlighting workflow management features.