1. Method Name

Agile Boards

2. Alternative Names

Task board, Scrum board, Kanban board

3. Brief Description

An agile board is a visual management tool that helps a team visualize their work, track its progress, and identify obstacles. The work is represented by cards (tasks) that are moved across the board through columns representing the individual phases of the workflow.

4. Purpose / When to Use

It is used in agile development (Scrum, Kanban) and in any team that wants to improve transparency, manage workflow, and foster self-organization. It serves as the central hub for daily stand-up meetings and planning.

5. Procedure / How to Apply It

1. Define the workflow: Design columns that correspond to your workflow. The simplest version is: "To Do," "In Progress," "Done.
" 2. Create a backlog: Make a list of all tasks or requests and place them in the first column (“To Do” or “Backlog”).
3. Visualize the work: Write each task on a separate card.
4. Move the cards: When the team starts working on a task, they move the card to the "In Progress" column. Once it’s completed, they move it to "Done.
" 5. (Optional) Add additional elements
:- WIP (Work In Progress) Limits: Set a maximum number of cards that can be in the “In Progress” column at any one time (the Kanban principle).
- Swimlanes: Horizontal divisions of the board, e.g., by task type, priority, or team member.
- Avatars: Photos or names of team members assigned to cards.

6. A Real-World Example

At the beginning of a sprint, the Scrum team has a board with the following columns: "Product Backlog," "Sprint Backlog," "In Progress," "Code Review," "Testing," and "Done." All tasks for a given sprint are in the "Sprint Backlog" column. Team members take on tasks one by one and move them across the board according to their current status.

7. Benefits

- High transparency: Everyone can immediately see what’s being worked on and where the problems lie.
- Improves communication and collaboration within the team.
- Identifies bottlenecks (where cards pile up).
- Supports a “pull” system and reduces multitasking (when WIP limits are used).

8. Risks / Limits

- It can become just a "bulletin board": If the board isn't updated daily and the team doesn't use it to manage their work, it's useless.
- Overly complex workflow: Too many columns can make the board confusing.
- Physical vs. Digital: A physical board better supports face-to-face communication but is unsuitable for distributed teams. Digital tools (Jira, Trello, Asana) are more flexible but can lead to less interaction.

9. Practical Tips

- The board belongs to the team: The team should be responsible for its design and maintenance.
- Keep it simple: Start with three columns and add more only if absolutely necessary.
- "Clean it up" regularly: At the end of a sprint or week, archive completed tasks to keep the board organized.