The 5-Step Guideline for Managing Items of Different Sizes in Kanban
“Kanban doesn’t work for us because we don’t have items of the same size” – If I had a dollar for every time I heard this statement, I could afford to spend my time laying on the beach in the…
How to Move Past Customers Who Don’t Serve You Well
“I hate working with this client”, said one of the agency owners I’m consulting said to me the other day. “Being around them just drains us of energy. They make my teams feel miserable. This isn’t what I want for…
How to Make Accurate Time Estimates in Just a Couple of Minutes
Even though it’s super simple, this exercise will have you making data-driven time estimates in literally no time. Hey there friend, I hope you’re having a wonderful week! Today, I’m going to show you how you can make reliable data-driven…
I Had to Say “No” to Relieve the Stress in My Workplace
There is a simple way to eliminate the stress in your workplace and create a new narrative around how you manage your work. Hey there friend. Happy Thursday (or whatever day you may be reading this article). Today, we’re going…
My Top 5 All-Time Favorite Nave Blog Posts
This article was super fun for me to create because I got to revisit my very favorite Nave blog posts – the ones that really struck a chord with me, and have stuck with me after all these years! Hey…
How to Reveal the Immediate Impact of Implementing WIP Limits
What is the ultimate goal behind implementing WIP limits? Usually, teams only start thinking about introducing this practice the moment they realize that their work has become unmanageable. Their boards are brimming with tasks, customer requests keep coming in, and…
Should You Remove Outliers from Your Data Set When Forecasting Your Delivery Times?
To toss or not to toss, that is the question. At least, it certainly is when it comes to outliers in your data. Is it okay to remove outliers from your data set? The other day, a client asked me:…
It’s Time to Deprecate Your Expedite Swimlane and Here Is Why
Having an Expedite swimlane as a default board configuration is a little-known mistake most managers make, which prevents them from building predictable workflows. Let’s talk about Expedites for a moment, shall we? What is an expedite? Imagine that, one day,…
Multitasking in Project Management: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Multitasking in project management can be disruptive in so many ways. From losing focus to incurring switching costs, delaying work, all the way down to hindering the predictability of your workflow. Even though it sounds counterintuitive, multitasking can also be…
Monte Carlo Simulation Explained: Everything You Need to Know to Make Accurate Delivery Forecasts
Here is everything you need to know to make reliable delivery commitments in just a couple of minutes: the Monte Carlo simulation explained! Getting started with Monte Carlo simulations as an alternative approach to making delivery forecasts can be challenging,…
5 Kanban Myths You Should Stop Believing
“The Kanban Method doesn’t work for project planning!”, “There is no commitment in Kanban.”, “You have to split your items into even pieces.” What do all these statements have in common? They’re all Kanban myths. Kanban myths are not uncommon,…
Top 3 Management Don’ts to Avoid When Waiting for Customer Feedback
Do you have a “Waiting for customer feedback” column on your board? Does your work get stuck in there for days, even weeks, while your team is working hard to maintain predictable delivery results? If that’s the case, it’s probably…
Managers, Here’s How to Leverage Your Flow Metrics to Make More Effective Improvement Decisions
Managers all over the world embrace flow metrics and analytics to optimize their workflows and drive continuous improvement initiatives. And there is no doubt about it, this approach is foundational for achieving sustainable business agility and building resilience. However, here…