[Use Case Templates] Kanban Project 👩‍💻

❗️Note: Please make sure you’ve checked out our announcement about the changes related to the Use Case Templates in Wrike. In short, the Wrike’s Use Case templates are now available in the Space creation dialogue instead of Wrike Assistant.

Hello Community! 👋

Our template series continues, and today we’d like to discuss Wrike’s Kanban Project template.

We’ve already talked about using Kanban planning and delivery during our Use Case Marathon, where our Community members shared how they are using Wrike’s Board View. In case you aren’t using this functionality yet, we recommend starting with this ready-to-use template.

Using Wrike’s Onboarding Templates

Account owners and admins on Business and Enterprise accounts and account owners on Professional accounts can access the Onboarding Templates gallery through Wrike Assistant.

Wrike Template: Kanban Project

Kanban project management represents individual tasks as cards that are moved along a board divided into the different stages of production. This puts the focus on a continuous flow of a small number of tasks, preventing teams from over-committing or getting distracted by lesser priorities. In Wrike, you can manage Kanban projects using the Board View. 

This template consists of a quick how-to guide that will walk you through the process of working with Wrike’s Board View. You can also use the sample tasks provided in the template -  rename, assign, add new tasks. The template launches a pre-configured Kanban-style workflow: To-Do, Doing, Done, Canceled, Backlogged.

Let’s take a look at the three proposed stages of working with your Kanban projects.

Step 1: Break Down Your Work

Add tasks to your Kanban board

1. Click "+ New task" from any column.
2. Enter a task name.

Don't enter specifics just yet, later you can click on any task and fill in task descriptions, schedule start and due dates, add pictures, attach files, and more.

Tip: Use verbs as the first word in your task's title. It helps let you and your team know what needs to be done and sets up a good naming convention.

Step 2: Manage Your Work with the Board View

Each Board View column represents a task status. This template uses a kanban workflow, which includes five statuses:

• To Do: Tasks that are up next - you'll work on them after current tasks are completed

- Keep your To Do tasks and backlog separate, your To Do list should include tasks that you can complete with a certain time frame, for example, a week
- Prioritize tasks within each column by dragging and dropping tasks to higher or lower on the list

• Doing: Tasks that are in progress

- Use this status for tasks that you're currently working on 
- Gain focus by minimizing the number of tasks performed simultaneously

• Done: Completed tasks
• Backlog: Deferred tasks or tasks that are on hold
• Cancelled: Tasks that are no longer part of your work but which aren't ready to be deleted

Tip: Drag and drop tasks across columns to change their status.

Step 3: Set Up Complex Projects Using Kanban Boards

Manage a complex project using the Kanban principles of visual management.

Create Subfolders for each phase of your complex project:

1. Right-click on your project
2. Hover over Add and select folder
3. Enter a folder name
4. Select the Board View as the default view

Each of your folders acts as a new board within a large project.

Tip: In your main project click the menu icon and select "Show Subfolders" to see tasks from subfolders and get a Kanban view across all phases of a complex project.

Now that you know how to use Kanban for managing work using this sample space and project, you can start using Board View more in your main space. You can also use Wrike’s Custom Workflows to create different statuses that will work for your specific needs.

If you’re not using Kanban or Wrike’s Board View, but are interested in learning more about this template, make sure to let us know below 👇

Lisa Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Become a Wrike expert with Wrike Discover

Lisa Wrike Team member Become a Wrike expert with Wrike Discover