{"id":7598,"date":"2024-06-11T11:23:06","date_gmt":"2024-06-11T11:23:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/?p=7598"},"modified":"2026-07-16T07:38:35","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T07:38:35","slug":"identify-and-solve-bottlenecks-with-kanban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/identify-and-solve-bottlenecks-with-kanban\/","title":{"rendered":"Identify and Solve Bottlenecks With Kanban: A 3-Step Tutorial"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do you feel like your projects get stuck because of bottlenecks way too often, slowing down project progress and causing delays in the <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/project-management-workflow\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project workflow<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A simple and efficient way to detect and solve bottlenecks \u2014 the famous <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/kanban-project-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kanban<\/a> framework \u2014 is a great choice whether you\u2019re an experienced project manager or just starting your journey in this profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep scrolling to learn more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list key-takeaways\">\n<li>Kanban makes bottlenecks easier to spot by offering a clear view of your workflow and task progress.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Finding the root cause is just as important as finding the bottleneck itself.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Most bottlenecks can be reduced through better communication, smarter task distribution, and regular workflow monitoring.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Using intuitive Kanban software is a simple way for teams to track work and collaborate more effectively.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"1-visualize-workflow\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Visualize workflow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back when digital project management tools didn\u2019t exist, a Kanban board was an actual board with sticky notes. Nowadays, project visualization is simplified with software such as <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Plaky<\/a> by <a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CAKE.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reliable and user-friendly, Plaky lets you break down your projects into as many steps or stages as needed. The app is organized into spaces, <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/features\/board\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">boards<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/features\/items\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">items<\/a>, with unlimited users even in the free plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To visualize a project, you may list items, i.e., project tasks, in the default Table view and then switch to Kanban, or use the <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/identify-and-solve-bottlenecks-with-kanban\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kanban view<\/a> immediately to start adding tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"528\" height=\"741\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Adding-Kanban-board-view-in-Plaky.png\" alt=\"Adding Kanban board view in Plaky\" class=\"wp-image-7590\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Adding-Kanban-board-view-in-Plaky.png 528w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Adding-Kanban-board-view-in-Plaky-214x300.png 214w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Adding-Kanban-board-view-in-Plaky-9x12.png 9w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 528px) 100vw, 528px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Adding Kanban board view in Plaky<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To categorize items \u2014 or Kanban cards in this case \u2014 assign them labels indicating the progress status, such as To do, Doing, and Done. You may use additional categories: Review, On hold, Canceled, and more, depending on your needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plaky allows you to name the labels whatever you like and choose their representative colors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thanks to Plaky\u2019s highly <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/features\/fields\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">customizable fields<\/a>, you can also specify deadlines, assignees, budgets, relevant links, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Kanban view is linear, and work is pulled from left to right, meaning items further to the right are closest to completion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All the information is displayed neatly, and items are grouped into columns according to their status, which is essential for the next step.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"664\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Kanban-view-in-Plaky.png\" alt=\"Kanban view in Plaky\" class=\"wp-image-7594\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Kanban-view-in-Plaky.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Kanban-view-in-Plaky-300x166.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Kanban-view-in-Plaky-1024x567.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Kanban-view-in-Plaky-768x425.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Kanban-view-in-Plaky-18x10.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kanban view in Plaky<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Create a Kanban board in Plaky<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udca1 <strong>Plaky Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wondering which Kanban tool to go for? Check out the app comparison overview below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/best-kanban-software\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">12 Best Kanban Software Solutions Tested &amp; Reviewed<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"2-identify-bottlenecks-with-the-wip-limit\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Identify bottlenecks with the WIP limit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Detecting bottlenecks as soon as possible will help get your project back on track, so monitor task progress on the Kanban board regularly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The so-called <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/kanban-project-management\/#Principle_3_Limit_WIP\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">work in progress (WIP) limit<\/a> is a term you should get familiar with. It refers to restricting the maximum number of items in Kanban board columns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s no single way to determine the WIP limit, but it\u2019s common to calculate it as the number of <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/project-roles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project team members<\/a> plus 1.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bottlenecks, therefore, typically manifest as columns surpassing the WIP limit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To go even further, you must identify what kind of a bottleneck it is \u2014 a piece of equipment, a department, limited resources, and so on. This is where PM software comes in handy, offering a comprehensive overview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s take a look at a very simple example of a Kanban board:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"703\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Bottleneck-identification-example-in-Plaky.png\" alt=\"Bottleneck identification example in Plaky\" class=\"wp-image-7591\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Bottleneck-identification-example-in-Plaky.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Bottleneck-identification-example-in-Plaky-300x176.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Bottleneck-identification-example-in-Plaky-1024x600.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Bottleneck-identification-example-in-Plaky-768x450.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Bottleneck-identification-example-in-Plaky-18x12.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bottleneck identification example in Plaky<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the example above, the On hold column contains the highest number of items. Observing the column more closely, you\u2019ll notice that all the tasks have a common denominator \u2014 the same assignee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Examining other columns, you\u2019ll see this person is in charge of several tasks, only one of which is underway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The logical conclusion is that the team member is stuck on their only task in progress, and they generally have too much on their plate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This leads us to the next step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn wp-block-paragraph\"><a data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Try Plaky by CAKE.com for free<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"3-seek-causes-and-solutions\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Seek causes and solutions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Looking into the root of the problem helps you prevent bottlenecks from occurring again in the same project and future ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For instance, if a bottleneck revolves around a team member, it\u2019s likely a case of work overload or unclear instructions. The solution is to <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/delegating-tasks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">delegate tasks<\/a> differently, improve communication, and offer support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Similarly, if a certain department appears to be causing congestion, you need to foster better coordination between departments, which can be done through regular meetings and collaborative platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1356\" height=\"632\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Leaving-comments-in-Plaky.png\" alt=\"Leaving comments in Plaky\" class=\"wp-image-7595\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Leaving-comments-in-Plaky.png 1356w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Leaving-comments-in-Plaky-300x140.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Leaving-comments-in-Plaky-1024x477.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Leaving-comments-in-Plaky-768x358.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Leaving-comments-in-Plaky-18x8.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1356px) 100vw, 1356px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Leaving comments in Plaky<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whatever the reason, you\u2019ll often find that the solution lies in adequate <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/resource-allocation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">resource allocation<\/a>, clear communication, and regular monitoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using a centralized platform is the easiest way to track projects, ensure everyone\u2019s on the same page, and tackle bottlenecks. Plaky by CAKE.com is an excellent choice if you\u2019re looking for a powerful and affordable <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/task-management\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">task management tool<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Need to assign a task to someone? Just tag the team member in the Person field of the item in question, and they\u2019ll receive a notification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your tasks require prioritization (which is almost always the case), simply create a Priority column and configure as many degrees as you need.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"410\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Priority-labels-in-Plaky.png\" alt=\"Priority labels in Plaky\" class=\"wp-image-7597\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Priority-labels-in-Plaky.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Priority-labels-in-Plaky-300x103.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Priority-labels-in-Plaky-1024x350.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Priority-labels-in-Plaky-768x262.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Priority-labels-in-Plaky-18x6.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Priority labels in Plaky<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plaky also allows you to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Upload files,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Filter tasks by priority, due date, status, etc.,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Choose from a variety of customizable <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/templates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project templates<\/a>, and more.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Improve task management with Plaky<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"get-rid-of-bottlenecks-with-plaky-by-cake-com\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get rid of bottlenecks with Plaky by CAKE.com<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you want your projects to run at their optimal capacity, detecting and eliminating bottlenecks promptly is key. Thanks to modern PM tools, this doesn\u2019t have to be a huge nuisance \u2014 let Plaky assist you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Flexible, cost-effective, and easy to navigate, Plaky helps teams of all sizes across numerous industries track their projects. Depending on your needs, check out the different <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/pricing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pricing options<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"877\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Plaky-pricing-plans.png\" alt=\"Plaky pricing plans\" class=\"wp-image-7596\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Plaky-pricing-plans.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Plaky-pricing-plans-300x219.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Plaky-pricing-plans-1024x748.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Plaky-pricing-plans-768x561.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Plaky-pricing-plans-16x12.png 16w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plaky pricing plans<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To take your PM experience to the next level, try the <a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/bundle\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CAKE.com Bundle<\/a>. It gives you access to the highest possible plan on each of our products. In addition to Plaky, the offer includes Pumble for business communication and Clockify for time tracking. For easy access, all 3 tools can be managed with a single <a href=\"https:\/\/account.cake.com\/signup\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/account.cake.com\/signup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CAKE.com account<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Say goodbye to bottlenecks and keep all your project information safe on one centralized platform \u2014 try Plaky by CAKE.com for free now.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Get started with Plaky<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>3 easy steps for handling bottlenecks with Kanban \u00b7 1. Visualize workflow \u00b7 2. Identify congestions \u00b7 3. Seek causes and solutions<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":10533,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-project-management"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7598","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7598"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7598\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18936,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7598\/revisions\/18936"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}