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KSD

Kanban System Design

16 hours - 4 modules

Course Description

The Kanban System Design (KSD) course guides you in understanding and designing effective Kanban systems to improve workflow, reduce operational stress, and enhance team collaboration. Starting from observing the current way of working, participants learn how to identify sources of dissatisfaction, visualize work, design a Kanban system tailored to their context, and introduce evolutionary improvements without disrupting the organization.

Through explanations, practical simulations, and group activities based on real cases, the course provides the foundations of the Kanban Method, the concept of flow, and the STATIK (Systems Thinking Approach To Introducing Kanban) approach, helping participants build their own Kanban system and use it to make better decisions.

Kanban University Certification and KMP Path

The Kanban System Design course is an official course accredited by Kanban University.

By attending the course and completing all sessions, participants:

  • Receive a Kanban System Design course completion certificate issued by Kanban University

  • Are registered as Kanban University alumni

KSD is the first step toward the Kanban Management Professional (KMP) credential:

  • The KMP credential is obtained upon completion of two courses:

    • Kanban System Design (KSD), which provides the foundations, motivation, and tools to design a Kanban system

    • Kanban Systems Improvement (KSI) or Kanban for Design and Innovation (KDI), which respectively deepen system evolution/improvement or upstream and innovation management

There is no online exam or assessment: the KMP credential is awarded by Kanban University upon completion of the two official courses delivered by an Accredited Kanban Trainer (AKT).

The course is delivered online for a total of 16 hours, divided into 4 modules.

 

Main Topics

Introduction to the Kanban Method

  • Motivation and benefits of the method in complex environments

  • The 2 principles and 6 practices of the Kanban Method

  • When it is appropriate to introduce Kanban and with what expectations

Practical Workflow Simulation

  • Simulation of a Kanban system to experience the concept of flow

  • Managing work in progress (WIP) and reducing overload

  • How to run Kanban meetings to focus on work and support team self-organization

STATIK – Designing Your Kanban System

  • A systems thinking approach to understanding context, demand, and capability

  • Steps to build a Kanban system: sources of dissatisfaction, flow analysis, definition of classes of service, explicit policies

  • Visual system design and definition of operating rules

Metrics, Continuous Improvement, and Governance

  • Using flow metrics (Lead Time, Run Chart, Cumulative Flow Diagram)

  • How to improve predictability of timelines and capacity

Continuous system improvement, risk management, and alignment with business objectives

Participant Profile

The course is designed for anyone who wants to design or improve a Kanban system in their work environment, in particular:

  • Managers and department heads

  • Team Leaders and Project Managers

  • Agile Coaches and Scrum Masters

  • Product Managers, Designers, IT Operations Managers

  • Software development teams or operational teams

  • Teams with unstructured or struggling processes

  • Organizations transitioning to Agile and Lean approaches

It is ideal for those who want to increase efficiency, work quality, visibility, and predictability across their workflows.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the foundations of the Kanban Method, its principles and key practices, recognizing its benefits and limitations within their own context

  • Experience and manage workflow within a Kanban system, acting on WIP, queues, bottlenecks, and sources of variability to reduce overload and stress

  • Design a Kanban System using STATIK, starting from the analysis of the current system, demand, and capability, and defining visualizations, classes of service, and explicit policies

  • Effectively facilitate Kanban meetings, focusing on the work (not people) and supporting more autonomous and collaborative teams

  • Use flow metrics (Lead Time, Run Chart, Cumulative Flow Diagram) to monitor performance, make data-driven decisions, and improve predictability

Objectives

The course aims to:

  • Understand the foundations, motivations, and benefits of the Kanban Method by experiencing it through practical simulations

  • Master the Kanban Method to make work visible, better manage risk, and provide clearer direction to the team

  • Build a customized Kanban system by introducing the pull method (taking on new work only when there is available capacity)

  • Use simple and meaningful metrics to measure flow, optimize the system, and improve predictability

  • Foster continuous improvement based on data, feedback, and small evolutionary changes

Participation Requirements

  • Duration and format: the course is delivered online for a total of 16 hours, divided into 4 modules

  • Delivery mode: live online virtual classroom with a high level of interaction; participants are required to use a webcam, microphone, and have a stable internet connection

  • Number of participants: limited class size, maximum 10 participants, to ensure interaction and hands-on work on real cases

  • Certificate requirements: full attendance is required to obtain the Kanban System Design course completion certificate

  • Technical requirements: PC with webcam, speakers/headphones, and microphone

No advanced technical skills are required; a basic familiarity with work/project management and a willingness to explore a Lean/Agile approach to flow management are sufficient.