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Kanban Policy Game
Copyright © 2016-2018 Dimitar Bakardzhiev
Kanban Policy Game by Dimitar Bakardzhiev is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0
International License. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0. Based
on Featureban (http://agendashift.com/featureban ) by Mike Burrows of Positive Incline Ltd
Introduction
The Kanban Policy Game is a fun way to experience how policies affect performance.
The goal of the Kanban Policy Game is to let people practice evolutionary change in
the context of a knowledge discovery process.
Here are all the file you need to play the game
http://training.modernmanagement.bg/kanban-policy-game.php
In the game you are hired as a coach to lead an Agile transformation. To achieve
success, you have to improve the performance of the teams in the client organization
in terms of lead time and throughput.
As Kanban method practitioner you decide to introduce and apply the six Kanban
practices, namely:
CP1: Visualize
CP2: Limit work-in-progress (WIP)
CP3: Manage flow
CP4: Make policies explicit
CP5: Implement feedback loops
CP6: Improve collaboratively, evolve experimentally (using models and the scientific
method)
Your work with the client organization goes through three periods:
1) In the first period you start by applying CP1, CP4, CP5 for a limited period
of 10 days. Your goal is to understand and measure what is the current
state of the system. Hence you ask the organization to make explicit their
“Collaboration Policy”, “Pull Policy” and “WIP Policy”. You find out that
they measure the individual productivity of the team members, want their
resources to be fully utilized and have no WIP limits.
2) In the second period you apply CP2 and CP3 by asking the organization to
change only the “WIP Policy” and limit the work in process for 10 days.
3) In the third period you apply CP6 by asking the organization to change
the “Collaboration Policy”. From now on the organization will not
measure individual productivity but the performance of a team as a
whole.
Learning outcomes
• “Collaboration Policy”, “Performance Evaluation Policy” and “WIP Policy”
have huge impact on productivity.
• The J-curve effect can be experienced if we implement CP2 in an
organization where collaboration level is low.
• Limiting WIP when we measure individual performance has a negative
effect on the productivity of the team as a whole.
• Limiting WIP when we don't measure individual performance has a
positive effect on the productivity of the team as a whole.
• Because of the above it is advised to implement CP6 before or along with
CP2.
• The collaboration level in a team can be measured.
Terminology
Rules of the game
The game has rules and policies. Rules are fixed and cannot be changed. Policies are
changeable.
Teams visualize their work using a kanban board.
Each team has 10 days to finish 20 work items. Each day begins with a “daily
meeting” of the team playing the game. In their “daily meeting”, each of the team
members would toss a coin,
share with the other team members the result, then move the work items on the
Kanban board according to the rules and the policies.
The teams shall use one coin per person, and it’s best that they throw them at the
same time.
Please don’t think that the team members should take turns to move. In the daily
meeting, they share the results of their coin tosses and discuss what moves they plan
to make.
If you throw Heads If you throw Tails
Do one of: Do both:
• Advance one of your unblocked • Block one of your currently
work items rightward by unblocked items if you have
following what WIP Policy one
says • AND follow what the Pull
• OR Unblock one of your items Policy says
that is blocked and advance it
rightward by following what
WIP Policy says
• OR Start new work by
following what the Pull Policy
says
• OR help others by following
what the Collaboration Policy
says
Blocking
• When the rules require you to block a work item, mark its sticky note with a
“B”. If the rules require to block a blocked one don’t put another “B”.
• When the rules require you to unblock a work item, do that by crossing out
the existing “B” on the sticky note. Example of one that has been blocked,
unblocked and re-blocked: BB
In order to assure that the only changes between periods are policy changes:
• The coin tosses from Period 1 are reused in the next periods. That is to
assure us the chance has nothing to do with the changes in productivity.
• The amount of available effort is the same – 10 days per team member
for all periods.
Illegal Moves
When you pair to help a teammate both of you are allowed to move only one card.
For example:
• Team member DB has T and XY has H.
• They pair and move the card that belongs to DB.
• After that DB has no H left i.e. no card should be blocked and a new card
started.
Setup (for each period)
1. All participants to get into teams of 2 - 4 people.
2. Each team to generate a backlog of 20 features using post-it notes of size
51x38 mm.
Write the number of each feature in the center of a sticky note, leaving
room top and bottom. Leave the cards in the “Ready” column.
Timing
It takes between 60 and 90 minutes to go through all three periods.
Materials and downloads
In terms of materials it requires:
• A board printed on A3-sized or larger paper or card, a flipchart, or a
whiteboard per team. Board (PDF)
• 60 small (51mm x 38mm) sticky notes.
• A supply of suitable pens.
• A coin per player.
Roles
• Team member. Starts, moves, blocks/unblocks and completes work
items.
• Scribe. Writes down the coin tosses (H for Heads, T for Tails) for each
team member for each day in the following table:
Team Name < >
Team member Team member Team member Team member
name < name < name < name < >
Day #
> > >
#23
#20 #21 #22
1 H H T H
2 T T T T
………………
10 H T H T
Periods
Period 1: Visualization and measurement
The facilitator plays the role of an Agile coach who as part of the company’s Agile
transformation is engaged to work with the teams playing the game.
The coach says something to the tune of the following:
“As your coach, I am hired by your leadership to improve your performance. You’ve
been through a two days Kanban training and you do know what the method is.
We will start by measuring how many features you’ll be able to deliver in the next 10
days.
The end goal is for us to understand where are the areas that need improvement.
I know that you want to ask me – would your managers see the measurements?
My answer is – I guess so, because we will be transparent in order to improve.
If you ask me – would your managers use the results for your monthly performance
appraisals? I don’t know. But you can safely assume it is highly likely they would.”
I have been looking around the place and talking to people in order to get myself
familiar with the polices of your organization. Here are the policies I found to be in
use in your organization:
Collaboration Policy Pull Policy WIP Policy
We measure the We want our resources We can have
individual productivity of to be fully utilized. unlimited number
the team members. Your Hence when their of work items in
goal is the Done column current work item is each of the
to have your name on as blocked team members columns.
many work items as should start working on
possible. Hence only if a new work item by
you have no other initial it and move to
options, pair up with the Build column.
someone who threw tails Note: Follow the “WIP
and move on their behalf. Policy” in regards the
Note: Follow the “WIP amount of work in
Policy” in regards the process.
amount of work in
process.
At the end of the period the facilitator will play the role of the management. The
results of the game will be used for the performance appraisals.
The players who had the most cards under their names will be presented with a bonus
in the form of a candy.
Debrief
In your teams, list and prepare to report back:
• Concepts, practices, and outcomes simulated in the game
• Your observations
• Workplace parallels
Confirm the application of Kanban Method’s three core practices:
• CP1: Visualize
o Work items
o Work flow
o Work item state – where in the work flow, whether blocked
• CP4: Make policies explicit
• CP5: Implement feedback loops
o Daily standup meeting
Period 2: WIP limits
The facilitator is again playing the role of the Agile coach. He says something the
tune of:
“I think it is about time we start limiting our work in process. Don’t be worry it will
make you more productive and work will be delivered faster.
Here are the policies for this period. We establish WIP limits by changing the WIP
Policy. All other policies are the same.”
Collaboration Policy Pull Policy WIP Policy
We measure the We want our resources For each of the
individual productivity to be fully utilized. columns we are
of the team members. Hence when their limiting our work
Your goal is the Done current work item is in process to
column to have your blocked team members equal the number
name on as many work should start working on of team members.
items as possible. Hence a new work item by As a result only if
only if you have no initial it and move to a column has
other options, pair up the Build column. free capacity you
with someone who threw Note: Follow the “WIP can advance one
tails and move on their Policy” in regards the of your unblocked
behalf. amount of work in work items
Note: Follow the “WIP process. rightwards.
Policy” in regards the
amount of work in
process.
Debrief
Discuss and prepare to report back:
• What changed?
o Benefits?
o Drawbacks?
• Workplace parallels
Confirm the application of the two core practices:
• CP2: Limit work-in-progress (WIP)
o Column limits, one way to balance workload vs capacity
o We made a true kanban system (pull and limiting WIP)
• CP3: Manage flow
o Flow (smoothness, timeliness, economic outcomes)
Period 3: Collaboration allowed
The facilitator is again playing the role of the Agile coach. He says something the
tune of:
“The results from the last period were as good as we expected. In fact, they were
worse for many of you.
Hence, I coached your leadership and manage to pursued them to change the
performance evaluation policy that is to be used in the appraisals.
From now on individual performance will not be used as an input to the appraisals.
Instead the performance of each team will be taken as a whole and the bonuses will be
allocated to the teams to be shared by the team members. “
Here are the policies for this period. We removed “and you have no other options”
part from the Collaboration Policy. Everything else is the same.
Collaboration Policy Pull Policy WIP Policy
We don’t measure We want our resources For each of the
individual productivity to be fully utilized. columns we are
but the productivity of Hence when their limiting our work
the team as a whole. current work item is in process to
Your goal is the Done blocked team members equal the number
column to have as many should start working on of team members.
work items as possible a new work item by As a result only if
no matter the name on initial it and move to a column has
them. Hence, the Build column. free capacity you
If you want to help the Note: Follow the “WIP can advance one
team, pair up with Policy” in regards the of your unblocked
someone who threw tails amount of work in work items
and move on their behalf process. rightwards.
(help your friend before
helping yourself)
Note: Follow the “WIP
Policy” in regards the
amount of work in
process.
Debrief
Discuss and prepare to report back:
• What changed?
o Benefits?
o Drawbacks?
• Workplace parallels
Confirm the application of the last core practice:
• CP6: Improve collaboratively, evolve experimentally (using models and
the scientific method)
o We created conditions for collaboration in delivery
o Nothing collaborative, experimental or scientific about our change
Final debrief
After Period 3 is finished hold a final debrief. Ask all teams playing the game to share
their results and reflect on them through the lens of the J-curve model of change.
It is possible that the results did not follow the J-curve and that is OK.
The goal of the Kanban Policy Game is to let people practice evolutionary change in
the context of a knowledge discovery process.
J-Curve model
The y-axis in the figure below shows the capability a.k.a. a specific measure of
fitness for purpose.
A capability might be lead time, or quality, or due date performance or
performance against an SLA.
The current capability or fitness level is shown as the horizontal oscillating curve
on the diagram. This level of capability is delivered by the current process. The
model assumes that the current level of capability is not sufficient and isn’t fit for
purpose, so we are motivated to improve. Once we start the change initiative the
current level of capability falls. We can measure the depth of the drop as the negative
delta in capability. The depth and length of the drop incurred by the change can be
thought of as the pain of change. If things go well then we gradually recover back to
our previous level of capability and eventually we achieve a new improved level of
capability.
It is the drop in capability and the eventual improvement that gives the concept its
name – “the J-curve effect.”
Facilitation information
• When Period 1 is finished give the best performer from each of the teams
a small real reward e.g. a candy. That should assure us players will
compete in Period 2.
• When debriefing Periods 1 and 2 make sure to count the cards delivered
per person (individual productivity) and mention the name of team
member who performed the best. That should assure that the
“Collaboration policy” change in Period 3 feels a real change.
• After Period 2 the individuals with most cards delivered could be
different from Period 1. For instance, the most productive individual for
team X for Period 1 was say Tom, but for Period 2 Tom has no cards
delivered at all! If there is such a case, then do emphasize that limiting
WIP can hurt the professional self-esteem for some people.
• When debriefing Period 1 use phrases such as “Being busy is not the same
as being productive”, “All starting and no finishing” and “Lots of activity,
little delivery”.
• During periods 2 and 3 make sure the teams don’t use the recorded coin
tosses to “look into the future” and thus able to plan their moves.
• Ensure everyone agrees before playing Period 2 that the only change has
been the introduction of WIP limits. It is only a policy change – emphasize
on that if needed.
• Ensure everyone agrees before playing Period 3 that the only change has
been the removal of the collaboration constraint. It is only a policy change
– emphasize on that if needed.
• After Period 3 is finished stick the paper boards on the wall. Use that for
the final debrief.
Customization
Kanban Policy Game is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike
4.0 International License.
Customisation and translation is encouraged. To obtain the original source files (.pptx
and .docx) rather than the PDFs, just ask @dimiterbak.