Personal Kanban: a primer

• A. To track company-wide project budgets across multiple departments
• B. To visualize your personal work so you can manage tasks and limit work in progress ✓
• C. To automate scheduling of meetings with team members
• D. To replace all digital calendars and reminder apps

Why: Personal Kanban uses a visual board to make your own work visible, helping you organize tasks and focus on what matters by limiting work in progress.

• A. Low, Medium, High, Critical
• B. To Do, Doing, Done ✓
• C. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
• D. Ideas, Budget, Approval, Archive

Why: The classic Kanban board uses three columns, To Do, Doing, and Done, which show the flow of each task from start to finish.

• A. Working as many hours as possible each day
• B. Restricting how many tasks you actively work on at the same time ✓
• C. Recording the progress of every task in a spreadsheet
• D. Only working on tasks assigned by your manager

Why: Limiting WIP means capping the number of tasks you are doing at once, which reduces multitasking and helps you finish work sooner.

• A. It lets others monitor your every action
• B. It reveals your workload and bottlenecks so you can make better decisions ✓
• C. It eliminates the need to ever plan ahead
• D. It guarantees that all deadlines will be met

Why: Seeing your tasks at a glance exposes overload and bottlenecks, making it easier to decide what to start, pause, or drop.

• A. Delete the card and create a new one in the next column
• B. Physically or digitally move the card left to right as work progresses ✓
• C. Keep the card in place and write the status in a notebook
• D. Move the card only when the entire project is complete

Why: Cards move from left to right as they progress, so the board always reflects the true current state of your work.

• A. To track every minute spent on a task for billing purposes
• B. To make your work visible so you can see what is in progress and what needs attention
• C. To replace your calendar with a detailed daily schedule
• D. To store long-term reference documents and notes

• A. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
• B. Low, Medium, High, Urgent
• C. To Do, Doing, Done
• D. Ideas, Drafts, Published, Archived

• A. Because the board software charges per item in that column
• B. Because limiting work in progress helps you focus and finish tasks faster
• C. Because items in 'Doing' are automatically deleted after a set time
• D. Because only three tasks can ever be visualized on a board

• A. Writing a single vague word like 'Work' on a card
• B. Using a sticky note or card with a clear, specific, actionable description
• C. Drawing a picture of the task without any text
• D. Leaving the task only in your memory and not on the board

• A. Delete the card immediately so the board stays clean
• B. Move the card to the far left of the board
• C. Keep it there, since the completed work provides a visible sense of progress
• D. Copy it into a new card and place it back in 'To Do'

• A. To rank tasks by priority from most to least important
• B. To make the stages of work visible so you can see where each task currently sits ✓
• C. To track the exact number of hours spent on each task
• D. To store completed tasks permanently for future reference

Why: Columns represent workflow states, and making them visible lets you see at a glance where every task is in its progression, which is the core visual principle of Kanban.

• A. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
• B. Urgent, Important, Optional, Someday
• C. Backlog, In Progress, Done ✓
• D. Low, Medium, High, Critical

Why: Backlog, In Progress, and Done describe the states a task passes through from idea to completion, which is what workflow columns should represent. Priority labels and day names describe other attributes rather than states of work.

• A. It keeps the board looking tidy for visitors
• B. It reduces multitasking and helps you finish work before starting more ✓
• C. It is required by the Kanban method's official rules
• D. It ensures tasks are automatically moved to Done

Why: A work-in-progress limit discourages starting too many tasks at once, which spreads attention thin and slows completion. Finishing existing work before pulling in new work is a central benefit of limiting WIP.

• A. Backlog holds completed tasks while In Progress holds abandoned ones
• B. Backlog holds tasks not yet started, while In Progress holds tasks actively being worked on ✓
• C. Backlog is only for work due next year
• D. There is no meaningful difference; they are interchangeable names

Why: The Backlog is a holding area for planned or upcoming work that has not begun, whereas In Progress contains only the tasks you are actively working on right now. This distinction keeps the active workload visible.

• A. Copying the exact columns used by a large software company
• B. Using as many columns as possible to capture every detail
• C. Reflecting the actual stages your own work moves through ✓
• D. Choosing columns based on the colors you find most appealing

Why: Good workflow columns mirror the real stages of your work, so the board accurately reflects how tasks really progress. Starting simple and adjusting as you learn your process is the recommended approach.

• A. To maximize the number of tasks you can start at once
• B. To reduce multitasking and help you finish tasks faster ✓
• C. To eliminate the need for a task board
• D. To ensure all tasks are assigned to someone else

Why: Limiting WIP reduces context switching and multitasking, which helps you focus on fewer tasks and complete them sooner.

• A. Each unfinished task adds to the mental load and splits attention ✓
• B. Starting tasks takes longer than finishing them
• C. Unfinished tasks automatically get deleted from the board
• D. Kanban boards only display a limited number of tasks

Why: Every open task competes for attention, so spreading focus across many tasks leads to slower progress on each one.

• A. Add another task anyway to stay productive
• B. Move a task to the 'Done' column or stop an active task before starting a new one ✓
• C. Delete the WIP limit from your board
• D. Move all tasks back to the 'Backlog' column

Why: When the limit is reached, you must finish or pause a task before pulling in new work, which keeps the limit meaningful.

• A. Set it as high as possible so nothing is ever blocked
• B. Start small, such as one to three tasks, and adjust based on experience ✓
• C. Match it to the total number of tasks on your board
• D. Avoid setting a limit until you have mastered the method

Why: Beginners benefit from a small, manageable limit that can be adjusted as they learn how much they can realistically handle.

• A. You finish tasks steadily and feel focused
• B. Many tasks stay in the 'Doing' column for long periods without completion ✓
• C. Your 'Done' column grows each week
• D. You rarely feel overwhelmed by your workload

Why: If tasks linger in progress for long stretches, too much is being worked on at once, suggesting the limit should be lowered.

• A. Pull the card that was added to the backlog most recently
• B. Pull the card that best aligns with your current priorities and available capacity ✓
• C. Pull the card with the longest estimated completion time
• D. Pull whichever card is easiest to start so you feel productive quickly

Why: Personal Kanban emphasizes pulling work based on priority and what you can realistically take on given your current capacity, rather than arbitrary or purely convenience-based choices.

• A. It ensures every card on the board is completed in the same week
• B. It prevents overload and helps you focus on finishing tasks rather than starting many at once ✓
• C. It allows the backlog to grow without any consequences
• D. It guarantees that all tasks will be assigned to someone else

Why: Limiting WIP reduces context switching and multitasking, helping you finish work faster and keeping the flow of tasks moving through the board.

• A. Choosing the card with the most colorful sticky note
• B. Choosing the card with the earliest deadline or highest impact on your goals ✓
• C. Choosing the card that a colleague mentioned casually
• D. Choosing the card at the bottom of the backlog column

Why: Deadlines and impact on goals are meaningful, objective criteria for prioritization, whereas appearance, casual mentions, or position alone are not reliable guides.

• A. Ignore the board until the blocker disappears on its own
• B. Pull the next most valuable unblocked item while working to clear the blocker ✓
• C. Move all backlog items into the Done column to clear space
• D. Stop all work until the blocked item is unblocked

Why: Good flow means continuing to deliver value. Pulling the next most valuable unblocked item keeps work moving while you address the blocker.

• A. Whether the card's color matches the current board theme
• B. Whether you have capacity to start it without exceeding your WIP limit ✓
• C. Whether the card was created by someone else on your team
• D. Whether the card has the most words in its description

Why: Before pulling a card, you should confirm that starting it will not breach your WIP limit, since exceeding it undermines focus and flow.

• A. To assign blame for tasks that were not completed
• B. To understand how work moves across the board and identify where it slows down ✓
• C. To count the total number of tasks completed each week
• D. To reorganize the board colors and labels for aesthetic reasons

Why: Reviewing flow helps you see how work progresses from column to column, making it easier to notice where tasks pile up or stall.

• A. A column that is empty for several days
• B. A column where cards accumulate and remain there longer than expected ✓
• C. A card that has been moved to the Done column
• D. A board that uses more than three colors

Why: A bottleneck appears when work enters a stage faster than it leaves, causing cards to build up and wait in that column.

• A. It makes the board look more balanced visually
• B. It exposes stalled work sooner because too many active tasks become obvious ✓
• C. It eliminates the need to review the board at all
• D. It guarantees that every task finishes on the same day

Why: With WIP limits, overloaded stages become visible quickly, so you can address the slowdown before it grows.

• A. Ignore it, since tasks will eventually finish on their own
• B. Investigate why cards are waiting there and consider adjusting capacity or limits ✓
• C. Move all tasks back to the To Do column
• D. Add more columns to the board without examining the cause

Why: Good flow review means diagnosing the cause of the delay, such as unclear criteria or too little capacity, and then adjusting how work is handled.

• A. Cards jump rapidly from To Do straight to Done with no intermediate stages
• B. Cards move smoothly across columns with predictable, reasonable wait times at each stage ✓
• C. Every column holds exactly the same number of cards at all times
• D. Cards stay in the In Progress column until the end of the month

Why: Healthy flow means work moves steadily through each stage with no major pile-ups, showing that the system is handling tasks at a sustainable pace.

• A. To track every minute spent on tasks throughout the day
• B. To review and adjust your work board regularly so it reflects current priorities ✓
• C. To assign tasks to other team members automatically
• D. To eliminate the need for any planning at all

Why: A daily routine keeps the board honest by reviewing and adjusting it regularly so it reflects what you are actually working on and what matters now.

• A. Deleting all cards from the Done column
• B. Selecting a limited set of tasks to pull into the In Progress column ✓
• C. Renaming every column on the board
• D. Moving all Backlog items directly to Done

Why: A morning check-in typically involves choosing a realistic set of tasks to pull into In Progress, respecting the work-in-progress limit.

• A. It guarantees that every task will be finished on time
• B. It prevents overload by restricting how many tasks you actively work on at once ✓
• C. It removes the need to prioritize tasks
• D. It automatically schedules meetings for the day

Why: WIP limits reduce context switching and overload, which helps maintain focus and makes the routine sustainable over time.

• A. Abandon the board until the next week
• B. Move completed tasks to Done and note anything unfinished for tomorrow's review ✓
• C. Delete all unfinished cards to start fresh
• D. Add as many new tasks as possible to the In Progress column

Why: A closing review moves finished work to Done and captures unfinished items, so the next morning starts with an accurate picture.

• A. You spend a few minutes each day updating the board
• B. The board is consistently out of date and you have stopped reviewing it ✓
• C. You limit In Progress to two or three tasks
• D. You move cards to Done as you complete them

Why: When the board falls out of date and reviews are skipped, the routine has lost its value, signaling the need to simplify or adjust it.