A Kanban board contains Post-It notes for tasks currently being done on farm. Each task is moved across the columns (Backlog, To Do, Doing, Done) as it is worked through to completion.


Kanban board benefits
- Visibility – teams can see what needs to be done, communication is improved by getting task lists out of everyone’s head and shared with the team.
- Save time – efficiency is maximised when the team know what they need to do next, and within what time frames.
- Improve standards – teams can see the required standards for each task.
- Ownership and independence – teams are supported to use their initiative, be proactive with their farm work, and be more independent to choose tasks.
Using Kanban boards on farm
Each task is written on a Post-It note, with enough detail for the team to understand, then placed on the board in the relevant column (Backlog, To Do).
When a team member has available time, they select a task from the To Do column and move it to the Doing column. Each task is moved across the columns as it is worked through to completion.
Anyone in the farm team can add tasks to the Backlog column, the farm manager/team leader generally moves them to the To Do column and decides on the priority order and the time frame for completion.
Farm teams have suggested using the board on a weekly basis to discuss priorities, progress and celebrate jobs done well. The board then becomes central to workload discussions.
Kanban boards are suited for
- smaller tasks - jobs that can be completed in 1-2 hours
- routine but irregular tasks - jobs that are done routinely, but not every day
- naggy tasks - jobs you might have to nag the team to complete
Getting started with a Kanban board
- Use a visual board in the farm office, this makes it easier for team meetings.
- Download our Kanban board template and introduce it to your team using our step-by-step guide.
- Try an online job board like Trello - it might be easier for the team to have access 'on the go'.