Applying Kanban to DevOps

Kanban can be applied to DevOps in the following specific ways:

• Kanban Backlog Creation: When starting a Kanban initiative, the Product Owner can immediately create a Kanban Backlog for the initiative. Creating a Prioritized Product Backlog is optional; the Product Owner may choose to create one only if there’s a need to define User Stories for specific requirements.
• User Stories Addition: The Product Owner adds User Stories to the Kanban Backlog or the Prioritized Product Backlog. The Kanban Manager pulls high-priority User Stories from the Prioritized Product Backlog to the Kanban Board. The Kanban Manager can pull in any number of User Stories at any time, but for each User Story, a target completion date should be set. The Kanban Manager or the Kanban Team can also estimate the effort required for each User Story, which helps in determining the amount of work to be completed based on the team’s cycle time and velocity.
• Completion and Review: Once the User Stories pulled from the Prioritized Product Backlog are completed, they are reviewed by the Kanban Manager and then submitted to the Product Owner for approval. User Stories that are rejected by the Product Owner due to non-completion or non-compliance with the Acceptance Criteria are moved back into the Prioritized Product Backlog. These stories can then be worked on by the same or another Kanban Team involved in the initiative.

Summary of Using User Stories in Kanban:

• Creation: User Stories follow a predefined structure and serve as a simple way to document requirements and desired end-user functionality. These requirements are short, simple, and easy to understand, improving communication among business stakeholders and enabling better estimations by the team. User Stories help teams grasp user needs and expectations for the deliverables to be created. The Product Owner is responsible for creating and prioritizing User Stories in the Prioritized Product Backlog.
• Work Status: As the team works toward delivering results, the Kanban Team uses the Kanban Board. Team members break down User Stories into Task Groups and/or tasks, which are then worked on by the team.
• Approval: Approval of User Stories, Tasks, or Task Groups can be sought from the Product Owner or another designated role/personnel, depending on the approval process set at the time the User Stories or Task Groups are created.

In some cases, a Kanban Board may not have any User Stories pulled from the Prioritized Product Backlog. In such instances, the board will display only the Task Groups and tasks created by the Kanban Team. The Kanban Manager has the ability to view, edit, or delete Task Group Templates for the Kanban Team.