The Lean concept optimizes an organization’s system to produce valuable results based on its resources, needs, and alternatives while reducing waste. Since these factors are dynamic and constantly evolving, a Lean organization evaluates the entire system rather than focusing only on individual components and continuously fine-tunes its processes. Lean’s foundation asserts that reducing the length of each cycle (iteration) increases productivity by minimizing delays and aiding in early error detection. Consequently, shorter cycles reduce the total effort required to complete tasks.
Kanban is designed to reduce idle time in the process of business value creation. The Kanban system determines what the process needs and when it needs it, using visual aids as a signaling system to guide future actions. It is closely associated with the design of pull systems and the concept of delivering just-in-time goods. Lean Kanban integrates the visualization methods defined by Kanban with Lean principles. Adopting Lean Kanban practices and principles brings several benefits to an organization, such as creating a manageable workload based on team capacity, reducing disruptions and delays by minimizing downtime due to errors, and fostering cross-alignment by building a culture of engaged workers. Overall, Lean Kanban helps achieve better process control through process improvement.
In a broad sense, Lean is a set of values and principles guiding successful product development, while Kanban is a process tool for applying these values and principles in practice. Lean Kanban combines these practices and tools to create value from product concept to delivery.