Kanban works for kids. I've tried it myself with great success.
The problem(s):
1. My kids weren't always completing their homework because they would start one assignment, stop before they were finished, and then start on another assignment.
2. Their idea of done didn't include putting their homework in a place/folder where it would be easy for them to find and turn in to the teacher.
The solution:
1. Created a visual management board for them and put it in a place where everyone could see it (visualize the workflow).
2. Changed the definition of done to include putting their homework in a place/folder where it would be easy for them to find and turn in to the teacher when they were in class (make policies explicit).
How it worked:
They weren't allowed to move an assignment from Started to Done until they finished the homework and put it in their homework folder (make policies explicit.)
They weren't allowed to have more than one assignment in the Started queue. So if they got stuck on one assignment or decided to take a break before completing it they weren't allowed to start another assignment until they completed the first one (focus on quality, limit WIP).
The results:
After about 2 months I noticed they stopped using the board. I would ask them why they weren't finished their homework but they were finished (according to our new definition of 'done') and I would move the work to Done for them. Eventually they didn't need the board anymore and I didn't force them to use it because at that point the board itself got in the way of their flow. So it's okay to not use kanban if it's not necessary. Kanban helped them to develop better homework habits and since then (2 years ago) they haven't had any problems finishing and turning in their homework. All (or almost all) A's.
If you have any questions contact me: sean@kanbanthis.com
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