Kanban & Lean Principles Flashcards
7 cards from real CAE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Kanban & Lean Principles flashcards as text
In Lean, 'Mura' refers to:
Answer: Unevenness or inconsistency in workload and process
Mura means unevenness or irregularity — inconsistent workloads or process flows that create inefficiency and stress in the system.
A team implements a 'buffer' column between 'Development' and 'Testing' on their Kanban board. What is the main benefit?
Answer: It decouples the two stages so each can work at its own pace without blocking the other
Buffer columns decouple adjacent stages so each can operate at its natural pace, reducing blocking and improving flow.
Which of the following is an example of 'overprocessing' waste in a software team?
Answer: Creating detailed documentation that no stakeholder will ever read
Overprocessing waste occurs when more work or effort is applied than the customer requires or values, such as unused documentation.
What is the key insight of Little's Law as applied to Kanban?
Answer: Average cycle time equals average WIP divided by average throughput
Little's Law states: Cycle Time = WIP / Throughput, meaning reducing WIP directly reduces average cycle time.
A Kanban team notices their 'Done' column never gets reviewed or cleared. Which practice addresses this?
Answer: Establish a regular cadence for reviewing and archiving completed items
Establishing a regular cadence (such as weekly reviews) to clear and archive the Done column keeps the board accurate and useful.
In the context of Lean, 'respect for people' primarily means:
Answer: Developing people's capabilities, involving them in decisions, and removing obstacles to their work
Lean's 'respect for people' principle means investing in people's growth, engaging them in problem-solving, and removing impediments that hinder their effectiveness.
When a Kanban team uses 'classes of service,' what problem are they solving?
Answer: How to prioritize and handle different types of work with different urgency levels
Classes of service define different policies for different work types (e.g., expedite, fixed date, standard) so the team can handle each appropriately.