Skip to main content
Next Step PM
Back to the library

Any phase · Ways of working

Decide what comes next in a Kanban team

In Kanban, work flows continuously. A regular replenishment meeting decides what enters the board next, so the team always works on the most valuable items.

About 30-60 minutesEvergreenLast reviewed 5 November 2026

Who this applies to

Skills it builds
Delivery and executionPrioritisation and roadmapping
PM types
All
Product types
All
Starting points
All
Ways of working
Kanban
Experience
All
Size of organisation
All

Steps, by experience

Beginner (under 1 year)

  1. Hold a short meeting weekly or when the 'ready' column runs low.
  2. Review the options and the latest priorities.
  3. Choose the next items and check they are clear enough to start.
  4. Respect work-in-progress limits; do not overload the board.
  5. Tell stakeholders what was chosen and what was not.

Intermediate (1 to 4 years)

  1. Hold regular replenishment with clear criteria.
  2. Respect work-in-progress limits.
  3. Use cycle time to set expectations.

Experienced (5+ years)

  1. Use classes of service for urgent and fixed-date work.
  2. Forecast with throughput data.
  3. Balance new features, fixes and technical health.

Who can do this

Owner: Product manager

Can be delegated to

  • Delivery Manager or Scrum Master: Facilitate and track flow metrics
  • Product Owner: Prepare options

Reviewed by: Delivery Manager

Tool examples

Jira
Use a Kanban board with column limits.
Trello
Use a 'ready' list with a card limit.
Linear
Use triage to choose what enters the backlog.

Definition of done

  • Regular replenishment in place
  • Work-in-progress limits respected
  • Choices shared with stakeholders

Common pitfalls

  • Adding work whenever someone asks
  • Ignoring work-in-progress limits
  • No visible priorities

Sources