Best Kanban Books to Read
Ten Kanban books worth your time – from the short official guide to deep dives on the method, team practice and scaling. See what each one covers, which to read first and how to turn what you read into a better board.
Quick answer: The best Kanban books to start with are Essential Kanban Condensed (short and official), Kanban in Action (practical) and Kanban and Scrum – Making the Most of Both (a free comparison). Go deeper with Agile Project Management with Kanban, Kanban from the Inside, Real World Kanban and Learning Agile.
1. Key Takeaways
- Essential Kanban Condensed is the quickest official introduction to the Kanban Method.
- Kanban in Action is the most hands-on book – boards, WIP limits and metrics.
- Kanban and Scrum – Making the Most of Both compares the two side by side with team examples.
- Agile Project Management with Kanban (Eric Brechner) shows Kanban on large software teams.
- Read one book at a time and try one idea on your board before moving to the next.
2. The 10 Best Kanban Books at a Glance
The best Kanban books cover three levels: short introductions, hands-on team guides and deeper books on the method and scaling.
3. Essential Kanban Condensed
Essential Kanban Condensed by David J. Anderson and Andy Carmichael (2016) is the short official guide to the Kanban Method – often simply called “Kanban Condensed”.
In under 100 pages it explains the values, principles, general practices, roles and cadences of the Kanban Method. It is the best first book if you want the method as Kanban University teaches it, and the reference used in Team Kanban Practitioner classes.
Best for: anyone new to Kanban who wants the official view in an afternoon.
4. Kanban in Action
Kanban in Action by Marcus Hammarberg and Joakim Sundén (Manning, 2014) is the most practical Kanban book – a step-by-step guide with illustrations and team stories.
It walks through visualising work, WIP limits, managing flow, classes of service, metrics and estimating – with exercises you can try on your own board the same week.
Best for: teams setting up their first Kanban board.
5. Kanban and Scrum – Making the Most of Both
Kanban and Scrum – Making the Most of Both by Henrik Kniberg and Mattias Skarin is a short, free InfoQ minibook that compares the two approaches with real team examples.
Part one compares roles, time-boxes, WIP limits and boards; part two is a case study of an operations team adopting Kanban. It is still one of the clearest explanations of Scrum vs Kanban.
Best for: Scrum teams considering Kanban, and anyone deciding between them.
6. Agile Project Management with Kanban
Agile Project Management with Kanban by Eric Brechner (Microsoft Press, 2015) shows how Kanban works for large software teams, based on the author’s experience at Microsoft and Xbox.
It covers getting started in a day, deploying finished work, adapting from Waterfall or Scrum, evolving from team to organisation, and dealing with deadlines and dependencies – with checklists at the end of each chapter.
Best for: engineering managers and software leads.
Run Kanban on a large software team
Colour-coded lists, cards with images, checklists and due dates – on Android, iPhone, tablet and desktop.
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7. More Kanban Books Worth Reading
Other strong picks are Kanban (Anderson), Kanban from the Inside, Real World Kanban, Learning Agile, Personal Kanban and the Kanban Maturity Model.
| Book | Author(s) · year | Why read it |
|---|---|---|
| Kanban: Successful Evolutionary Change for Your Technology Business | David J. Anderson · 2010 | The original book on the Kanban Method; often called “Essential Kanban” |
| Kanban from the Inside | Mike Burrows · 2014 | The values and principles behind each practice |
| Real World Kanban: Do Less, Accomplish More with Lean Thinking | Mattias Skarin · 2015 | Case studies from IT, operations and development teams |
| Learning Agile: Understanding Scrum, XP, Lean, and Kanban | Andrew Stellman & Jennifer Greene · 2014 | Compares the main agile methods in one book |
| Personal Kanban | Jim Benson & Tonianne DeMaria Barry · 2011 | Kanban for your own work and life |
| Kanban Maturity Model | David J. Anderson & Teodora Bozheva · 2018 | Maturity levels 0–6 for growing organisations |
8. Which Kanban Book Should You Read First?
Start with Essential Kanban Condensed or Kanban in Action, then pick a book that matches your role.
9. Kanban Reading Boards in PlanBoards
Here are three real reading and book-club boards built in PlanBoards.
Kanban reading list
To Read, Reading (WIP 1), Notes and Finished – with the shelf, the book in progress and key ideas as image cards.
Team book club
Proposed, This Month, Discussion and Done – with a due date for the session and a note with the discussion question.
Trying ideas from Kanban books
Ideas, Experiment (WIP 2), Results and Adopted – turn each chapter into an experiment.
10. Turn Kanban Books into Practice
Read one chapter, note one idea, try it on your board for two weeks and measure the result.
- Read one chapter.
- Note one idea.
- Try it on your board for two weeks.
- Measure the result.
11. FAQ
These are the questions people ask when choosing a Kanban book.
What is the best book on Kanban?
For most people, Essential Kanban Condensed is the best first book – short and official. For hands-on guidance, Kanban in Action is the most practical.
Is Kanban and Scrum – Making the Most of Both free?
Yes. Henrik Kniberg and Mattias Skarin’s minibook is available free from InfoQ.
Who wrote Agile Project Management with Kanban?
Eric Brechner, a Microsoft engineering leader, published by Microsoft Press in 2015.
What is the difference between Essential Kanban Condensed and Kanban by David Anderson?
Kanban (2010) is the full original book with the story of how the method emerged. Essential Kanban Condensed (2016) is a short summary of the method as it is taught today.
Which Kanban book is best for beginners?
Essential Kanban Condensed or Kanban in Action. Both explain boards, WIP limits and flow without assuming prior knowledge.
Is there a book on Kanban for personal use?
Yes – Personal Kanban by Jim Benson and Tonianne DeMaria Barry.
Can I track my reading in PlanBoards?
Yes. Create To Read, Reading and Finished columns, add a card per book with a cover photo and notes – free to use.
12. Sources and Further Reading
These are the sources behind this guide.
- David J. Anderson & Andy Carmichael (2016). Essential Kanban Condensed. Lean Kanban University Press.
- Marcus Hammarberg & Joakim Sundén (2014). Kanban in Action. Manning.
- Henrik Kniberg & Mattias Skarin (2009). Kanban and Scrum – Making the Most of Both. InfoQ.
- Eric Brechner (2015). Agile Project Management with Kanban. Microsoft Press.
- David J. Anderson (2010). Kanban: Successful Evolutionary Change for Your Technology Business. Blue Hole Press.
- Wikipedia: Kanban (development)
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