10 Best Kanban Books for 2025 [Beginners to Advanced]

Due to its success in streamlining workflow and boosting productivity, the Kanban project management style has grown in popularity in recent years. The manufacturing sector was where it was first established, but it has subsequently been used to a number of industries, including software development, healthcare, and education.

There are several books on Kanban that go into great depth about how to use it in various circumstances. The concepts, techniques, and tools of Kanban are all covered in these books, along with other topics. Whether you are a novice or a seasoned practitioner, these publications may improve your understanding of Kanban and provide you insightful tips to improve your workflow. You can also opt for the best kanban certification to help you have a better understanding about Kanban

In this article, we will introduce you to the 10 best kanban books that are highly recommended by experts in the field. These books cover a wide range of topics related to Kanban, such as its history, principles, practices, and case studies. They also provide practical advice on how to implement Kanban in different contexts, making them a valuable resource for anyone interested in Kanban.

The best Kanban books are as follows: 

10 Best Kanban Books to Read in 2024 

1. The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Learn Kanban Step by Step

• Author Name: John Martens
• Year of Release and Version: 2020, 1st edition
• Goodreads Rating: 4.2/5
• Publisher Info: Independently published

Book Info:

The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Learn Kanban Step by Step is a comprehensive guide to understanding and implementing the Kanban methodology. The book is designed to provide a step-by-step approach to learning Kanban, from the basics to advanced concepts. It is an ideal resource for beginners who want to learn about Kanban or for professionals who want to deepen their understanding of the methodology.

Overview of what is covered in the book:

The book covers a wide range of topics related to Kanban, starting with the basics of the methodology and its history. The author then dives into the core principles of Kanban, including visualization, limiting work in progress, managing flow, making process policies explicit, implementing feedback loops, and continuous improvement. The book also includes chapters on Kanban metrics, managing risks, and scaling Kanban for large organizations.

Key benefits and takeaways:

• Comprehensive coverage of the Kanban methodology from basics to advanced concepts
• A step-by-step approach to learning Kanban, making it ideal for beginners
• Real-world examples and case studies to illustrate concepts
• Practical tips and advice for implementing Kanban in different environments
• A focus on continuous improvement and optimizing flow for maximum efficiency
• Guidance on metrics and risk management for successful implementation of Kanban

2. Beginner's Guide to Mastering Agile Project Management with Scrum, Kanban, Scrumban, Lean, Six Sigma, and Extreme Programming

• Author Name: Jeffrey Ries
• Year of release and version: 2019
• Good Reads Rating: 4.5/5
• Publisher Info: Amazon Digital Services

Book Info:

Beginner's Guide to Mastering Agile Project Management with Scrum, Kanban, Scrumban, Lean, Six Sigma, and Extreme Programming is a comprehensive guide to various Agile methodologies, including Kanban. The book covers the basics of Agile project management, including the Agile manifesto and the principles of Scrum, Kanban, and other methodologies. It also includes practical tips for implementing kanban in your organization, including how to create a kanban board and how to manage the flow.

Overview:

The Beginner's Guide to Mastering Agile Project Management covers a range of popular Agile methodologies, including Scrum, Kanban, Scrumban, Lean, Six Sigma, and Extreme Programming.

The guide provides a comprehensive overview of each methodology, its principles, and its benefits. It also includes practical tips and best practices for implementing these methodologies in a project management context.
By mastering these Agile approaches, project managers can improve team collaboration, increase efficiency, and achieve better results.

The guide is suitable for beginners who are new to Agile as well as experienced project managers looking to expand their knowledge and skills.

Key benefits and takeaways:

• A comprehensive overview of Agile methodologies, including kanban
• Practical tips for implementing kanban in your organization
• An emphasis on continuous improvement and process optimization

3. Kanban: Successful Evolutionary Change for Your Technology Business by David Anderson

• Author Name: David J. Anderson
• Year of release and version: 2010
• Good Reads Rating: 4.1/5
• Publisher Info: Blue Hole Press

Book Info:

Kanban: Successful Evolutionary Change for Your Technology Business is a classic book on Kanban that provides a comprehensive overview of the method. The book covers the history of kanban and its origins in the Toyota Production System, as well as practical tips for implementing kanban in your organization. It also includes case studies of organizations that have successfully implemented kanban, as well as tips for measuring and improving performance.

Overview:

This book cover topics such as visualizing work, making policies explicit, managing flow, and implementing feedback loops and increasing collaboration.

Andersen also provides case discussions and real-world examples of companies that have successfully implemented Kanban in their organization system.

This book is a valuable resource for technological companies looking to improve their processes and achieve greater efficiency and productivity within their teams or organisations.

Key benefits and takeaways:

• A comprehensive overview of the history and principles of kanban
• Practical tips for implementing kanban in your organization
• Case studies of successful kanban implementations

4. Kanban Maturity Model: A Map to Organizational Agility, Resilience, and Reinvention

• Year of release and version: 2020, 1st edition
• Author Name: David Anderson and Teodora Bozheva
• Goodreads Rating: 4.19/5
• Publisher Info: Blue Hole Press

Book Info:

The Kanban Maturity Model by David Anderson and Teodora Bozheva provides a comprehensive guide to implementing and improving a Kanban system in an organization. The book outlines a maturity model that helps organizations understand their current state and chart a path toward greater agility, resilience, and reinvention. The authors draw on their extensive experience working with Kanban and provide real-world examples and case studies to illustrate their concepts.

Overview:

The book covers the topics such as the basic principles of Kanban and how to get started with a Kanban system
The Kanban Maturity Model includes seven levels of organizational maturity and helps organizations assess where they are and where they want to go

Strategies for improving organizational agility, resilience, and reinvention using Kanban
Case studies of organizations that have successfully implemented Kanban at various levels of maturity
Practical tips for implementing Kanban in an organization

Key benefits and takeaways:

• A comprehensive guide to implementing and improving a Kanban system in an organization
• A maturity model that helps organizations assess their current state and chart a path toward greater agility, resilience, and reinvention
• Real-world examples and case studies to illustrate the concepts
• Strategies for improving organizational agility, resilience, and reinvention using Kanban
• Practical tips for implementing Kanban in an organization.

5. Kanban from the Inside

• Author Name: Mike Burrows
• Year of release and version: 2014, 1st edition
• Goodreads Rating: 4.22/5
• Publisher Info: Blue Hole Press

Book Info:

In Kanban from the Inside, Mike Burrows provides a practical guide to implementing Kanban in an organization. The book is based on the author's extensive experience working with Kanban and draws on real-world examples and case studies to illustrate his concepts.

Overview:

The book covers the following topics:

The basic principles of Kanban and how to get started with a Kanban system

The importance of visualizing work and limiting work in progress

Strategies for improving flow and reducing waste using Kanban

How to design a Kanban system that fits your organization's unique needs

Real-world examples and case studies of successful Kanban implementations

Key benefits and takeaways:

• A practical guide to implementing Kanban in an organization
• Real-world examples and case studies to illustrate the concepts
• Strategies for improving flow and reducing waste using Kanban
• Tips for designing a Kanban system that fits your organization's unique needs.

6. Scrumban and Other Essays on Kanban Systems for Lean Software Development

• Author Name: Corey Ladas
• Year of release and version: 2010, 1st edition
• Good Reads Rating: 3.75/5
• Publisher Info: Modus Cooperandi Press

Book Info:

Scrumban and Other Essays on Kanban Systems for Lean Software Dev is a book that provides an analysis of how Scrumban, a hybrid of Scrum and Kanban, can be used to improve software development. The book includes a collection of essays that explore various aspects of Scrumban, including its history, principles, and best practices. The book also includes case studies and examples that demonstrate how Scrumban can be implemented in different software development environments.

Overview of what is covered in the book:

The book covers a range of topics related to Scrumban, including the history of the methodology, the principles behind it, and how it can be used to improve software development. The book also includes case studies and examples that demonstrate how Scrumban has been used in different software development environments.

Key benefits and takeaways:

• An understanding of how Scrumban can be used to improve software development
• Insights into the principles and best practices of Scrumban
• Real-world examples and case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of Scrumban in different environments.

7. Kanban in Action

• Author Name: Joakim Sunden and Marcus Hammarberg
• Year of release and version: 2014, 1st edition
• Good Reads Rating: 4.11/5
• Publisher Info: Manning Publications

Book Info:

Kanban in Action is a book that provides a comprehensive guide to Kanban, a methodology that can be used to improve workflow and efficiency in software development. The book includes a detailed overview of the Kanban methodology, as well as practical advice and guidance on how to implement Kanban in a software development environment. The book also includes case studies and examples that demonstrate how Kanban has been used in different software development contexts.

Overview of what is covered in the book:

The book covers a range of topics related to Kanban, including the history and principles of the methodology, how to implement Kanban in a software development environment, and how to optimize workflow and efficiency using Kanban. The book also includes case studies and examples that demonstrate how Kanban has been used in different software development contexts.

Key benefits and takeaways:

• A comprehensive understanding of the Kanban methodology
• Practical advice and guidance on how to implement Kanban in a software development environment
• Insights into how to optimize workflow and efficiency using Kanban
• Real-world examples and case studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of Kanban in different software development contexts.

8. Kanban and Scrum – Making the Most of Both

• Author Name: Henrik Kniberg & Mattias Skarin
• Year of release and version: 2010.
• Good Reads Rating: 4.06/5
• Publisher Info: InfoQ.

Book Info:

This book compares the Kanban and Scrum methodologies, providing practical guidance on how to use them together effectively. It includes real-world examples and case studies to illustrate how teams have successfully combined Kanban and Scrum to maximize their productivity and improve their overall performance.

Overview of what is covered in the book:

The book starts with an introduction to both Kanban and Scrum, explaining their key principles and practices. It then delves into the similarities and differences between the two methodologies, highlighting how they can complement each other. The authors guide you on how to choose the right approach for your team and project and how to implement a hybrid approach. The book also covers topics such as metrics, team dynamics, and leadership.

Key benefits and takeaways:

• The book discusses how to combine the strengths of Kanban and Scrum and overcome their limitations.
• It provides practical advice for creating a flexible and adaptive approach to project management.
• The approach outlined in the book aims to help deliver value to customers more effectively.
• The book offers insights on how to improve team collaboration, communication, and performance.
• By following the guidance in the book, readers can aim to achieve better results in less time.

9. Agile Project Management with Kanban

• Author Name: Eric Brechner
• Year of release and version: 2015
• Good Reads Rating: 3.91/5
• Publisher Info: Microsoft Press

Book Info:

This book provides a comprehensive guide to using Kanban for agile project management. It covers the core principles of Kanban, such as visualizing work, limiting work in progress, and managing flow. The book also explains how to apply Kanban in various contexts, such as software development, IT operations, and business operations.

Overview of what is covered in the book:

The book starts with an introduction to agile project management and Kanban, explaining the benefits of using Kanban and how it differs from other agile methodologies. It then provides a step-by-step guide to implementing Kanban, from visualizing your workflow to optimizing your process. The book also covers topics such as metrics, continuous improvement, and team collaboration. Also, you can look through the Agile certifications that can help you achieve a command over the methodology.

Key benefits and takeaways:

• The book provides practical advice for applying Kanban to projects and teams.
• The guidance in the book can be applied to any industry or organization size.
• By following the advice in the book, readers can aim to increase team productivity, reduce waste and lead times, and deliver value to customers faster.
• The book offers insights into how to create a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration.
• Readers will learn how to use metrics to track progress and identify areas for improvement.

10. Principle of Product Development Flow

• Author Name: Donald Reinertsen
• Year of release and version: 2009
• Goodreads Rating: 4.24/5
• Publisher Info: Celeritas Publishing

Book Info:

The "Principles of Product Development Flow" is a book that provides a comprehensive and practical guide to optimizing product development processes. In this book, Donald Reinertsen shares his decades of experience in the field of product development and highlights the importance of flow in the development process. The book covers a wide range of topics, from lean product development to the use of queuing theory in product development.

Overview:

The book provides a detailed analysis of the principles that underpin effective product development. It offers a new perspective on how product development should be approached and provides practical guidance for anyone involved in the product development process. The author highlights the importance of flow and how it impacts the product development process. The book covers topics such as lean development, batch sizes, queuing theory, economic prioritization, and cadence.

Key benefits and takeaways:

• Gain a deep understanding of the principles that drive successful product development
• Learn how to optimize your product development process by applying lean principles
• Gain insights into the use of queuing theory to optimize development processes
• Learn how to optimize batch sizes and use economic prioritization to drive product development decisions
• Discover how to create an effective cadence in the development process

Conclusion 

In conclusion, these top 10 Kanban books offer an in-depth analysis of the methodology and its use in a variety of settings. The abovementioned books can be used as personal Kanban book that provides practical guidance on how to apply the principles of Kanban to personal productivity and task management.

These books provide useful insights, real-world examples, and useful advice, whether you are a beginner looking to learn the fundamentals of Kanban or an experienced practitioner looking to deepen your knowledge. Each book has something distinctive to offer, ranging from outlining the fundamentals of Kanban to examining more complex methods and frameworks. By reading a personal Kanban book, individuals can learn how to better manage their time, prioritize tasks, and improve their overall productivity and work-life balance.

You will develop a deeper understanding of the value of Kanban and how it can help you enhance workflow, boost productivity, and provide value to your clients by reading these books. You can learn more about Kanban through various KnowledgeHut’s best Kanban certification available online.

Therefore, Kanban can assist you in achieving your objectives and improving the performance of your entire organization, whether you are a team developing software, a marketing team, or a healthcare team.