Kanban, the visual workflow management system, thrives on efficiency. But how do we identify and eliminate inefficiencies within the workflow itself? Enter the three “M”s: Muri, Mura, and Muda. These Japanese terms, originating from the Toyota Production System, represent key areas of waste that can hinder your Kanban board’s effectiveness.
- Muri (Overburden): Imagine overloading a team member with tasks. Muri refers to excessive pressure placed on people or systems. It leads to burnout, errors, and ultimately, delays. Kanban’s WIP (Work in Progress) limits prevent overloading and ensure a smooth workflow.
- Mura (Unevenness): Inconsistent workflow is the enemy of efficiency. Mura describes fluctuations in workload, where team members are slammed one day and idle the next. Kanban helps visualize work distribution and identify bottlenecks. By managing WIP limits and prioritizing tasks, we can smooth out the workflow.
- Muda (Waste): This is the big one! Muda encompasses any activity that doesn’t add value to the final product. In Kanban, this could be waiting for approvals, context switching between tasks, or excessive rework due to unclear instructions. By analyzing your Kanban board, you can identify and eliminate these wasteful activities.
Try this: Include the topic in your restrospectives on and off : “where do we see artefacts like muri, mura or muda in our work?” You might experience insightful discussions which might leads to surprising productivity hacks in your team.
Albrecht Günther 