Announcing Lean Kanban North America 2018

Welcome to Seattle, the home base of Lean Kanban!

Seattle is the fastest-growing big city in the US and companies are opening offices here by the dozens  It was already home to companies like Amazon, Starbucks, Microsoft, REI, Nordstrom, and Costco.

When we started the Lean Kanban conference in 2009, few people outside our tiny community knew anything about it.

Now that Kanban is known and accepted worldwide as a viable management method for knowledge work, we can focus even more on our mission to provide “pragmatic, actionable guidance” to make your work more organized with better outcomes.

Recent trends include:

• Kanban used inside and outside of IT
• Kanban used enterprise-wide
• Kanban integrated with other methods such as SAFe and Scrum
• Kanban moving upstream, applied in the experimentation, portfolio and planning levels

In 2017/2018, clients are specifically asking for Kanban and they will only settle for good quality guidance. Lean Kanban events are the place to connect face-to-face with other Kanban enthusiasts as well as thought leaders from around the world. Pick up the latest techniques and hear how organizations have overcome challenges by applying Kanban (and overcome challenges with their Kanban initiatives).

As I put together the Lean Kanban North America conference program once again, these are the themes I have in mind:

1) NETWORKING, NETWORKING, NETWORKING
In 2018, we are adding new options for connecting with speakers and other participants. While you can get a lot of material online (such as at leankanban.com), you can’t get these direct professional connections with Kanban enthusiasts anywhere else.

2) SOLVING YOUR PROBLEMS
We have looked at the most common workplace frustrations and set up a program of sessions and workshops to address these concerns. Still not specific enough? Come to our KCP coaching clinic and get one-on-one advice.

3) CAN WE BE ANY CLEARER?
We are including more accessible content to apply immediately. This includes information about your level on the Kanban Maturity Model and the practices that are appropriate for your organization. At any level, we can offer clear information and material you can take back to your boss, clients, teams, or managers.

Ready for something more intense? The Kanban Leadership Retreat is limited to 50 of the most extreme Kanban enthusiasts. The participants are ready to bring their own session ideas and collaborate to evolve the Lean Kanban body of knowledge.

We look forward to seeing you in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Janice Linden-Reed
Chief Program Officer, Lean Kanban, Inc.
Program Chair, Lean Kanban North America 2018