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Kanban practice:
Recognizing and eliminating bottlenecks

Illustration: learn, practice, improve

Kanban practice:
Recognizing and eliminating bottlenecks

Bottlenecks are a significant problem in many companies. They occur when work processes come to a standstill and productivity suffers as a result. But how can you identify and effectively eliminate bottlenecks in your organization? The Kanban method offers you valuable support here.

How do I recognize bottlenecks?

Identifying bottlenecks requires a systematic approach. Visualizing your work processes is a proven tool. With Kanban, you can see exactly where work is piling up. Typically, bottlenecks appear where tasks are left unfinished for longer or processing comes to a standstill. Kanban boards help you to make these problems visible and analyze the cause.

What are the effects of bottlenecks?

If bottlenecks are not resolved in time, they can slow down your entire organization. Delays in one process step often have an impact on downstream processes. The result: longer throughput times, dissatisfied customers and stressed employees. Bottlenecks can also significantly affect the motivation and performance of the team. It is therefore worth taking targeted countermeasures.

How do I eliminate bottlenecks effectively?

The key to combating bottlenecks lies in optimizing your processes. Bottlenecks can be sustainably reduced by continuously analyzing workflows and making targeted improvements to individual process steps. The principle of continuous workflow enables you to identify bottlenecks at an early stage and initiate measures to relieve them. The following applies: small improvements lead to noticeable results.

Your path to better processes

Use the advantages of the Kanban method to make your organization more efficient and productive. In our Kanban training courses, you will learn how to identify bottlenecks and eliminate them sustainably. Contact us to find out more about the possibilities!


April 08, 2025
This article is part of a series on Kanban, a method for controlling and optimizing work processes that focuses on improving the flow of work, reducing throughput times and increasing efficiency in companies.