
posted 18th May 2023
OK, the Zombie Apocalypse has started.
Chaos is everywhere!
Run for the hills, cower under a rock, and pray to your chosen deity......
What can save us??
Er, Kanban!!??!!
Now channel your inner Kanban Coach with a smidge of Shaun of the Dead and start the fight to take back our planet and save the day!
While the idea of a zombie apocalypse may seem kind of far-fetched, the truth is that the general practices and principles of the Kanban Method can be applied in a variety of situations, especially those that require systems thinking and efficient action. In this very serious and well-researched blog post, we will explore how the Kanban Method can save you and your loved ones during a zombie apocalypse (if you are a zombie please stop reading now).
First, let's review what the Kanban Method is. At its core, the Kanban Method is a management method for managing and understanding knowledge work as it moves through a process. It is used across multiple industries and its principles can be applied to any field. The Kanban Method has 6 general practices along with 3 change management principles and 3 service delivery principles. For this post, we'll focus 6 practices.
So, let's apply the practices of the Kanban Method to our impending zombie apocalypse scenario.
You are part of a small group of survivors who have taken refuge in a secure location. Whilst you are safe for now, you are going to be under the constant threat of becoming zombie starter and main course soon. We'll ideally find a safe and secure space to work from. Now we are all in the right frame of mind (physical & psychologically safe), let's get to work! Here's how the Kanban Method can help save us all:


1. Visualise
We need to understand how we are going to deal with the threat of the zombies and we need to be able to execute under pressure. To do this, it would be a good first step to visualise the flow of what we will do, who is needed to do what, and when with the easiest flow of action. Having this visualised and understood across the group with everyone in agreement will help us execute under pressure when under a workload of zombie hoard disposal! Also it would be worth peeking to see where the Zombies are, you can't be too careful.
2. Limit Work In Progress
One of the key and most powerful practices of the Kanban Method is to limit the amount of work in progress. This means that you should only take on as much work as you can realistically handle at any given time. During a zombie apocalypse, this practice is even more important. If you take on too many zombies at once, you may spread your resources too thin and end up overwhelmed by the volume of you are over ambitiously trying to deal with. Which could possibly end up with you or one of your crew being dined upon and joining the great hoard of the undead!


3. Manage Flow
Another important principle of the Kanban Method is to manage flow. Whilst zombies favour blood flow, in the Kanban Method we mean workflow. Ideally, we should aim to keep our work (zombie splatting) moving smoothly and efficiently through the process, managing any bottlenecks, and delays. During a zombie apocalypse, this practice is very much a crucial one. Every second counts when you are under threat from zombies, so you need to make sure that you are taking actions that keep you moving forward picking off the undead in a timely fashion while being aware of any limitations (low ammo, blunt axe, etc.) you and the group may have.
4. Make Policies Explicit
We need explicit policies in place and agreed to keep us on point and focussed whilst zombies want us for brunch! These policies help act as decision filters and guide us when we face tough choices. What do we do if one of our group has been bitten? I know what I think but does everyone else and do they agree with what I am thinking? We need these things bottomed out and explicitly agreed upon before we start wielding the tools of zombie destruction to enable the comeback of the general population and take us all off the menu.


5. Implement Feedback Loops
We need to be constantly learning and adapting when dealing with zombies. Are we dealing with them effectively? Are the volumes the same each day or is there a pattern of variability starting to emerge? Is an axe really the best tool for the job? Can we speed up how we are dealing with them? Without these regular feedback loops, we may be missing out on life-saving improvements that we can identify and execute with speed and efficiency.
6. Improve Collaboratively, Evolve Experimentally
The final general practice of the Kanban Method is to Improve collaboratively, evolve experimentally. This means that you should always be looking for ways to improve your processes and make them more efficient. We may start off removing the zombie heads but maybe a shot to the head is enough? As we learn more about or flesh-hungry hoard we need to evolve and adapt our approach and execution to best enable our chance of survival. By continuously evolving and improving our process, we can ensure that we are making the most of our limited resources and maximizing our chances of declining the invite to the zombie buffet table!

In conclusion, the Kanban Method is the go-to approach for surviving a zombie apocalypse. By visualizing our flow, limiting work in progress, managing flow, having regular feedback loops, and continuously improving, we can stay organized, efficient, and effective in the face of a zombie doomsday. I'm actually quite surprised there has not been a movie made on this yet? Probably in the making no doubt.
While I hope that you never have to face a charging zombie hoard in a real-life scenario, like a good scout, it's always better to be prepared and hopefully you can see how these general practices can help you in most work and life scenarios. With that said, if you'd like to learn more about the Kanban Method check out some of our upcoming courses here: Training Courses
P.S. No Humans or Zombies were harmed during the creation of this blog post.