Kanban started as a scheduling system developed by Taiichi Ohno that revolutionized the automotive industry and was the foundation of the Toyota Production System. The term Kanban nowadays refers to the Kanban method for a knowledge work application, which gained traction at the beginning of the 21st century. The approach gained massive popularity across the software sector, IT operations, engineering, marketing, etc. Businesses of all types are using it.
At Businessmap, we have always been searching to answer the question, “Why do more and more companies use Kanban?” Not just because we want to satisfy our curiosity but because we want to find a rational explanation. So, we decided to dig deeper and try to discover the main reasons behind the method’s popularity.
Why Use Kanban?
In fact, companies that use Kanban manage to increase their overall performance. We’ve personally heard this so many times.
However, let’s look at some statistical facts that tell us “Why Kanban?”.
The State of Kanban Report 2022 and the 16th Annual State of Agile Report, both based on extensive surveys from across the globe, provide some key insights into the matter. The data is derived from across industries, functional areas, and different sizes of organizations.
Without any further ado, let’s see what the data tells us.
Note: The following is based on data from the official State of Kanban Report 2022.
Highlights of the State of Kanban Report 2022
- Kanban Reach Is Expanding. Applying Kanban practices across functional areas and non-technology industries is growing.
- Kanban Adoption Is Increasing. Kanban initiatives are expected to expand in 2023, according to 86% of respondents.
- Kanban Is Working at Scale. Kanban is largely applied to 10+ teams or to the whole company, where the largest group of respondents are organizations with 10,000+ employees.
Top 5 Benefits of Adopting Kanban
Besides increasing customer satisfaction and improving quality, here are the top five advantages of applying Kanban.
- Increased Visibility of Flow
- Improved Delivery Speed and Throughput
- Improved Predictability
- Alignment between Business OKRs and Delivery Work
- Improved Ability to Manage Scale and Dependencies
Is Kanban More Effective Compared to Other Methods and Frameworks?
Close to 90% of the respondents indicated that using Kanban was more effective than other approaches to managing work.
- Much More Effective – 50%
- More Effective – 37%
- Somewhat the Same – 12%
Note: The following is based on data from the official 16th Annual State of Agile Report.
Kanban Use Is Growing Exponentially
A highlight of the 16th State of Agile Report has found a large increase in the adoption of the Kanban method for managing work. Over half of the respondents of the survey are currently leveraging Kanban.
- In 3 years, Kanban application has grown from 7% in the 14th State of Agile Report to 56% in 2022.
Top Reasons Why Companies Use Kanban Infographic
We have also created this infographic below that summarizes the top reasons why companies use Kanban and the main benefits they experience once it is implemented.
But if you want to find more detailed information about the report like Top industries that use Kanban or Is Kanban training important? , you can download the full State of Kanban Report 2022.
Pavel Naydenov
Head of Marketing | Kanban | PPM Ops Certified
Pavel is a natural-born optimist with 10+ years of experience in the marketing field. By leveraging Kanban, Lean, and Agile practices for years, he drives brand growth and engagement through data-driven marketing strategies. He believes every message should express the fundamental values of a brand, and if delivered positively, it can change the course of its existence.
