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Training Project Management Practices: Kanban Methodology

In 2015, I was asked to implement a digital Kanban platform for project oversight and performance management of a Marketing Analytics Department of a national retailer. Prior to my onboarding, this department did not have a project management practice in place. Kanban’s appeal was its simple visualization of team progress towards completing tasks. The use of a digital Kanban management tool enabled transparency, alignment, and efficiency so time could be spent doing actual the work.

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Change Management

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Learning & Development

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Process Improvement

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Technology Solutions

The Business Challenge

The Marketing Analytics department had tripled in size over the course of 6 months. Departmental leadership did not have visibility or a way of tracking and managing incoming projects across its newly developed teams.

The Solution

Introduced and implemented Kanban project management methodology across the Marketing Analytics department using a digital platform, LeanKit, to create intra-departmental transparency between teams and leadership.

Actions Taken

  • Departmental current-state process assessment
  • Developed business case providing options for different PM tools and methodologies, along with cost structure
  • Designed a minimum viable product (MVP) using the platform in tandem with departmental managers for testing and feedback.
  • Created a change communications plan and team training program to scale the platform solution across the department for smooth adoption.
More Work

Results Delivered

  • Empowered department leaders with project information through a daily standup and dashboard accessibility.
  • Time spent on projects and tasks became trackable for measured operational efficiencies at scale.
  • Professionally developed co-creation, collaboration, leadership and training skills of newly-formed department management team.
  • Successfully negotiated, onboarded, and managed a new vendor for the organization through partnership with the organization’s legal team for an annual contract.
  • Entire departmental adoption of Leankit within a 10 week timeframe.