Developing a web-based platform using the KANBAN development process involves a series of steps that focus on visualizing work, limiting work in progress, and continuously improving the workflow. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:
Step 1: Define the Project Scope and Requirements
Identify Stakeholders: Determine who will be involved in the project, including developers, designers, product owners, and end-users.
Gather Requirements: Collect detailed requirements for the web-based platform. This includes functional requirements, user stories, and any technical specifications.
Prioritize Features: Use techniques like MoSCoW (Must have, Should have, Could have, Won't have) to prioritize features based on their importance and feasibility.
Step 2: Set Up the KANBAN Board
Choose a Tool: Select a KANBAN tool. This can be a physical board with sticky notes or a digital tool like Jira, Trello, or Asana.
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Create Columns: Set up columns on the KANBAN board to represent different stages of the workflow. Common columns include:
Backlog: All tasks that need to be done.
To Do: Tasks that are ready to be worked on.
In Progress: Tasks currently being worked on.
Review: Tasks that are completed but need to be reviewed.
Done: Tasks that are completed and reviewed.
Step 3: Break Down Tasks
Create User Stories: Break down the requirements into user stories or tasks. Each task should be small enough to be completed within a short timeframe (e.g., a few days).
Add Tasks to Backlog: Place all the tasks in the Backlog column of the KANBAN board.
Step 4: Plan the Initial Sprint
Set Work-in-Progress (WIP) Limits: Define how many tasks can be in the "In Progress" column at any given time to avoid overloading the team.
Move Tasks to To Do: Move a set of tasks from the Backlog to the To Do column based on priority and WIP limits.
Step 5: Start Development
Assign Tasks: Assign tasks to team members. Each member pulls a task from the To Do column and moves it to the In Progress column when they start working on it.
Daily Stand-ups: Conduct daily stand-up meetings to discuss progress, identify blockers, and ensure everyone is on the same page.
Step 6: Review and Iterate
Move Tasks to Review: Once a task is completed, move it to the Review column for quality assurance and testing.
Feedback and Improvements: Gather feedback from stakeholders and make necessary improvements. Move the task to the Done column once it is approved.
Step 7: Continuous Improvement
Retrospectives: After each sprint or at regular intervals, conduct retrospectives to discuss what went well, what didn’t, and how processes can be improved.
Refine the Backlog: Continuously refine and prioritize the backlog based on feedback and changing requirements.
Step 8: Deployment and Monitoring
Deploy the Platform: Once the platform is ready, deploy it to a production environment.
Monitor and Maintain: Continuously monitor the platform for any issues and perform regular maintenance. Use the KANBAN board to track and manage ongoing tasks and improvements.
Step 9: Scale and Evolve
Scale the Platform: As the platform grows, scale the infrastructure and add new features based on user feedback and business needs.
Evolve the Process: Continuously evolve the KANBAN process to better fit the team’s workflow and the project’s requirements.
Tools and Best Practices
Visualize Work: Make sure all tasks are visible on the KANBAN board.
Limit WIP: Avoid multitasking by limiting the number of tasks in progress.
Manage Flow: Focus on smoothly moving tasks from one column to the next.
Continuous Improvement: Regularly review and improve the process.
💡 About the Author:
Sana-Allah Kheiri, known as Sasan Ace, is the founder of Paratopic Technologies LLC and leads the company’s research and development in AI, cybersecurity, and digital freedom initiatives. Through his blog and technology campaigns, he advocates for the decentralization of digital rights in authoritarian-leaning environments. Refer to his LinkedIn for more insights.
