Looking for an easier way to collect feedback from your internal team?
Need a better way to keep track of feedback from clients?
Want a project management tool that makes it easier to track the progress of tasks and deliverables?
It sounds like you should be using Kanban.
Today we’re talking about Kanban Agile testing and how the Kanban Agile framework can help agencies more effectively manage projects and feedback.
Keep reading to learn the three key ways that Kanban can help you manage client website feedback.
Contents:
- What is the Value of Kanban in Managing Client Feedback?
- Collecting and Documenting Feedback
- Communicating Feedback During the QA Process
- Keeping Track of Progress
1. What is the Value of Kanban in Managing Client Feedback?
Managing client feedback is a crucial part of the website design and development process, and a Kanban board makes that easier to do.
From Agile software developers to DevOps teams to web designers and developers, here’s why so many members of so many different teams use a Kanban board:
- Visualize workflows
- Maximize efficiency
- Limit work-in-progress
- Optimize deliverables across multiple teams/multiple individuals
All of these features make Kanban useful for:
- Collecting and documenting feedback
- Communicating feedback
- Keeping track of how tasks are progressing
No matter what stage of a project you are in, a Kanban board is an easy way to see what feedback has been gathered and whose turn it is to address it. It’s also a way to produce faster results and improve the performance of team members, both of which benefit clients in the long run.
You may have heard colleagues or coworkers in the past having the Agile vs Kanban debate, but the fact is it’s not an either/or scenario. Forget the idea of Agile vs Kanban — Kanban is but one of many different frameworks that allow you to implement the Agile methodology.
Rather than debating Agile vs. Kanban, the conversation you might want to have amongst your internal team is Kanban vs Scrum.
Is Kanban Better Than Scrum?
Kanban is more flexible than Scrum, particularly in regards to:
- the number of tasks visible
- which members of the team can perform each task
- the timing and deadline for those tasks.
Scrum team members have predefined roles. For example, only Scrum masters can create project timelines. Only product owners can define the goals and assign team members to handle specific tasks.
With Kanban, there are no predefined roles, so it’s easier for Agile teams to collaborate.
There’s also a big difference in how due dates and timelines work in Scrum.
Deliverables are set up as sprints, or specific time periods in which a task must be completed.
In Kanban, projects are delivered throughout the process, without a set timeframe. Kanban also allows project managers to make changes to a project workflow at any time, but Scrum does not.
Scrum works for some teams, but many prefer the flexibility of Kanban — particularly teams that perform QA testing and gather feedback throughout the web development life cycle.
Let’s dive a bit deeper into the three key ways that you can better manage client feedback with Kanban.
2. Collecting and Documenting Feedback
If you follow the Agile principles for web design and development, you already know that testing, QA, and bug tracking are essential to delivering the client the best website possible.
Agile web designers and web developers can collect and manage feedback throughout various stages of the project with a Kanban board. The bug tracking tool, BugHerd, is a perfect example of how a Kanban board can improve client feedback collection and management.
BugHerd’s Kanban setup allows users to manage feedback collection workflows and to act on and respond to feedback annotations and bug reports throughout the testing process. Because BugHerd allows you to invite an unlimited number of guests to a board, it’s an easy and effective way to collaborate with members of your own internal team as well as outside testers and clients themselves.
Every collaborator involved can see where feedback has been provided and if relevant actions have been implemented. Developers know in real-time what’s going on with every bit of feedback collected. Clients can continue to provide more feedback without disrupting the workflow.
BugHerd lets testers of all types post digital sticky notes directly on web pages to indicate where problems or potential issues lie. A Kanban board makes it clear when feedback is collected and allows users to see which tasks they still need to act on. It also integrates with a variety of other platforms and tools, including Slack, Github, and WordPress.
Start using BugHerd today by signing up for a 14-day free trial.
You may also be interested in How to Write Test Cases [Excel, Jira, & More]
3. Communicating Feedback During the QA Process
With Scrum, it’s all about sprints, and QA plays no role in the start of a sprint or task, it’s only a factor at the end.
With Kanban, there’s a different approach.
Kanban allows for flexibility, and you can customize Kanban boards to create columns and rows based on prioritization.
To make QA a priority and an ongoing part of the development process, consider adding two columns for QA, such as “ready for testing” and “testing in process” to better indicate project progress.
Part of managing client feedback means making sure that every piece of feedback you receive is communicated to the relevant collaborators on your team. Since the Kanban method makes it easy for everyone on the team to know what phase the project is in, the chances of dropping the ball in communicating feedback are reduced.
Unlike some Agile frameworks that have fixed length iterations, Kanban tasks are not time-boxed, so there is no specific set amount of time in which to work on any specific aspect of the project. Tasks stemming from feedback can appear in your to-do list at any point in time.
Kanban also sets work in progress limits. WIP limits expose and reduce bottlenecks in the flow of work. With Kanban you don’t have to wait until the end of a set sprint to start the tasks in the next sprint. Instead, you can see where bottlenecks are forming and re-prioritize tasks to reduce that jam.
With better communication among your internal team, better prioritization, and fewer bottlenecks, you might find yourself finishing projects ahead of schedule.
Check out our Website Launch Checklist to Avoid Sh*t Going Wrong
4. Keeping Track of Progress
For some web dev teams and project managers, managing client feedback is a challenge.
Here are some more ways that using Kanban can help.
1. Kanban is iterative, but it allows for continuous improvement of the workflow.
New work items can be added to the backlog and pulled into the workflow from the backlog at any time. Those responsible for a given task can see a clear visualization of what they need to do and how high on the priority list it is.
It’s this visualization of bottlenecks in the pipeline that helps the team resolve issues in a timely manner.
2. By reducing bottlenecks, Kanban helps to speed up the website development life cycle.
The faster the team works the faster you can deliver the website to the client. The faster you deliver the website to the client, the sooner you can begin collecting the next batch of feedback. (Kanban boards are also an effective tool for Agile software development teams as well, as they help to improve the software development life cycle time and the SDLC metric).
3. Kanban in Agile process is not restricted to a set process. Because it’s flexible, developers can improve their flow of work throughout the project.
You can take advantage of that flexibility by creating feedback collection and feedback communication tasks in “feedback columns” on your board to make receiving and addressing client feedback crucial steps in the process. Some teams may even choose to build in feedback automation or prioritize addressing and acting on client feedback.
Managing client feedback isn’t easy, but Kanban can help you streamline and improve the process.
How many times have you heard someone on your team say:
- Did we get feedback from the client yet?
- Did we respond to the client regarding that feedback?
- Did we address the client’s feedback and implement changes to meet their needs?
With Kanban, you won’t find yourself having to chase down other members of the team to answer these questions. Visualizations in the workflow make it clear which tasks are in the to-do column, which are being worked on right now, and which ones are complete.
Kanban does more than just simplify your workflow — it can also help you predict how quickly you can deliver on projects in the future. This can help you create a more realistic timeline for future clients, a timeline that better anticipates when you’ll need them to review the site and provide their crucial feedback.A Kanban board may be just what you need to ensure that your client’s needs are being addressed, that feedback isn’t going unnoticed, and that you are better able to deliver your client the website they need. Try Kanban with Bugherd free for 14 days or book a demo today!
