Blocker | Glossary

Definition:

The piece of work represented on a Kanban board move seamlessly from one process step to another, until the work is done. Visualizing work on a Kanban board does help enable better flow.

Sometimes unforeseen internal or external factors get in the way of progress. These factors are called blockers, because they block a card from being able to move forward in your process. Kanban do a good job of visualising blocked work. A common practice is to throw the blocker sticker away once the work has been unblocked. I always get teams to keep the blockers so they can review them for patterns or common sources of blockage at retrospectives.

The piece of work represented on a Kanban board is to move it seamlessly from one process step to another, until the work is done.Visualizing work on a Kanban board does help enable better flow. Sometimes unforeseen internal or external factors get in the way of progress. These factors which blocks the are called blockers, because they block a card from being able to move forward in your process.

Further Reading:

Book:  Kanban: Successful Evolutionary Change for Your Technology Business by David J Anderson

Kanban from the Inside by Mike Burrows

Process Map | Glossary

Definition:

A process map is a tool to visually illustrate how the work flows, a visual representation of the steps needed to complete a piece of work. It is also a communication tool, a business planning tool and a tool to help manage the organization.

If you manage your work on a Kanban board, you probably started by creating a process map. Process maps can help you understand how work moves between phases before it is completed.

Further Reading:

Book:  Kanban: Successful Evolutionary Change for Your Technology Business by David J Anderson

Kanban from the Inside by Mike Burro