Using Kanban Boards

Initially, a Japanese concept used in manufacturing processes to improve communication and work efficiency between tasks using instruction cards, Kanban has further evolved and made its way into the Agile methodology in project management. This tool displays the project workflow divided into columns or modules. All project tasks progress through each module till their completion.

Watch this quick video guide about Kanban Board:

Or continue reading to understand it step-by-step.

Benefits of Kanban Board in ProProfs Project:

• It gives a bird’s-eye view of all your tasks.
• Increased task visibility resulting in better efficiency.
• Drag & drop tasks between columns for ease of use
• Move and adjust columns freely within the workflow

Here’s what a Kanban project workflow looks like:

In the example above, the columns represent the overall task progress, while the task cards display the individual progress, end dates, and the assignees and followers. You can drop cards in the right column once they reach a particular stage in the workflow. It is the default workflow. However, ProProfs lets you create custom workflows based on a project’s nature.

In this article, you’ll learn:

• How to switch to Kanban Board view
• How to manage tasks
• How to update task status in the Kanban View
• How to add a cover to a card

1. How to Switch to the Kanban Board View

By default, a project is displayed in the Classic view. To change, select Kanban from the View dropdown menu.

This is how a project is displayed in the Kanban view.

1. Task status acts as a column header. You can move columns to the right or left.
2. Tasks become cards and get aligned under the right columns automatically.
3. Button to add a new subtask

2. How to Manage Tasks in the Kanban View

First things first, let’s decode a task card. The image below has numberings on it with explanations right below.

1. This bar shows the progress made so far. 
2. Add a new task
3. Add a subtask under the main task
4. Assign users or teams
5. Add start and end dates
6. Add comments and attach files
7. Edit or delete a task

3. How to Update the Status of a Task in the Kanban View

You can move a task between statuses (columns) to update its status.

For example, to change the ‘Help Articles’ task status from 'Open' to 'Complete,' just drag and drop the card in the right column. That’s it.

You’ll notice that moving a task to another column also changes its progress percentage accordingly.

 4. How to Add a Cover to a Card

You can visually depict the task by adding a cover to the task card. Follow the steps below to do so:

1. Click anywhere on the card to open the editor.

2. Go to 'Activity'

3. There you will find the option to perform different operations. Click in the box and then click 'Attach Files.'

4. Upload a cover image. Click 'Add' to finish uploading.

Here’s what the cover image on a task card will look like:

5. The added image will appear under the Attachments section. You can add multiple images and choose your desired cover image among them. Also, you can quickly delete or download the attachment.

That is all about the 'Kanban Board' view in ProProfs Project.