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Project management is about aligning team efforts to achieve goals and objectives. The process involves setting targets, measuring progress, and monitoring performance to keep things on track.
Project managers rely on tools that can help manage tasks and communication throughout the project lifecycle to do this effectively. Two options we’ll talk about today are task boards and Kanban boards.
What’s the difference between task boards and Kanban boards? Which one is best for your business? Depending on your team dynamic and organizational structure, either might be more beneficial. Let’s explore why.
What Is Kanban?
Kanban is a way of visualizing workflows and managing workloads using a Kanban board.
The Kanban board is a visual display of tasks and team progress. The board is divided into three columns: To Do, In Progress, and Done. Meanwhile, tasks are moved across these columns to indicate progress.
Using a kanban board allows you to monitor and limit works in progress so you can ensure that your team is producing quality output. At the same time, you can facilitate a constant workflow and keep everyone aligned on where they are in the project.
What Is A Task Board?
A task board is a visual way of tracking, prioritizing, and visualizing all the tasks related to a project.
A task board is usually a wall or a whiteboard where team members post sticky notes with their tasks and progress. Unlike Kanban, a task board can be organized however the team wants to. Dividing them into categories isn’t required as long as the team can see their tasks and track what has been finished.
Task boards can also be called project boards, schedules, or timelines.
Critical Differences Between Kanban And Task Board
A task board is a general term for how a project team uses a board to monitor what has been executed to gain progress in your project. It can be organized in any way that the team sees fit
A Kanban board is a specific type of task board where Kanban cards represent tasks, and they’re placed on a Kanban board. The Kanban board is divided into three or more columns that illustrate the level of progress that’s been taken on the task.
Progress in a Kanban board is represented by the position of the Kanban card on the board. Meanwhile, a task in a task board can be checked, crossed out, or moved once completed.
Kanban vs. Task Board: Which Is Better for Project Management?
As we have discussed, kanban and task boards have some key differences. The best way to decide which would work better for your project is to analyze your team dynamics and the type of project you manage.
A task board (or a Scrum board) will be a great choice if you manage a Scrum team. It’s very easy to set up and will help your team track progress, visualize their work, forecast timelines, and identify issues.
If you are managing a project where a continuous flow and recurring output are key, a Kanban board would be a great choice.
Wrapping Up
To recap, the Kanban method uses a Kanban board to track workflow and facilitate a continuous workflow. It’s often an effective way to stagger workload and keep things moving.
A task board is a visual display of the project’s objectives broken down into smaller pieces and the responsibilities of each team member –tasks. It’s an excellent option for Scrum teams and those who prefer to create their own system apart from Kanban.
Regardless of which option you choose, Workamajig can help you manage your creative teams and consolidate all your communications. Book a demo with us, and we’ll help you.