Kanban Pizza Game

The Kanban Pizza Game is a serious game that allows participants to understand the fundamental principles of Kanban, such as visualising flow, limiting work in progress, managing bottlenecks, and continuous improvement. By simulating the management of a pizzeria, participants must collaborate to produce paper pizzas while optimising workflow.

Walkthrough

1. 1

   Introduction and Training

   15 min

   The facilitator explains the objectives of the game and the key concepts of Kanban. They then distribute the necessary materials, including paper for the pizzas and role cards. Participants practice assembling a pizza in 30 seconds to familiarise themselves with the process.

   Tip — Use a concrete example to illustrate each Kanban concept during the introduction.

2. 2

   Iteration 1: Setting Up the Flow

   10 min

   Teams begin producing pizzas following the defined process. The facilitator ensures that each step is followed and notes the points earned by each team. The goal is to become familiar with the production flow.

   Tip — Encourage participants to verbalise their strategy to facilitate collective learning.

3. 3

   Retrospective after Iteration 1

   10 min

   Participants discuss the bottlenecks observed and possible improvements. The facilitator guides the discussion to highlight the importance of limiting work in progress (WIP).

   Tip — Use a whiteboard to visualise the bottlenecks identified by the teams.

4. 4

   Iteration 2: Market Variability

   10 min

   Teams face variations in demand, simulated by changes in orders. The facilitator introduces random order cards to simulate this variability.

   Tip — Introduce last-minute orders to increase realism and pressure.

5. 5

   Retrospective after Iteration 2

   10 min

   Teams analyse how they managed variability and discuss the importance of maintaining optimal stock. The facilitator facilitates the discussion on agility in response to market changes.

   Tip — Provide real-world examples to illustrate how companies manage variability.

6. 6

   Iteration 3: Expertise and Versatility

   10 min

   Teams must now manage production with specialised and versatile roles. The facilitator observes how teams organise themselves to optimise flow.

   Tip — Encourage participants to try different roles to understand the impact of specialisation.

7. 7

   Conclusion and Transfer to the Real World

   15 min

   The facilitator concludes the game by summarising the lessons learned and discussing with participants the possible applications in their professional context. Participants share their thoughts on how they can apply these principles in their daily work.

   Tip — Invite participants to propose concrete actions to test in their work environment.

Variants

• Add a 'customer' role that places specific orders to simulate additional pressure.
• Introduce random 'breakdowns' where certain members cannot work for a given period.
• Vary the complexity of pizzas by adding extra steps for certain orders.