Talk:Kanban/Archives/2018
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Clarify terms
If you read this page top to bottom while pretending that you don't know anything at all about kanban (as I do not), you will find the word "kanban" apparently meaning multiple things. For the most part "kanban" seems to be the name of the process. Early on it is stated that the name literally means "billboard", though it is not explained how that meaning is relevant. But reading the article, "kanban" also appears to name some mysterious component of the overall process. For example, if you don't know what a kanban is, all of these phrases are baffling: "Problem areas are highlighted by reducing the number of kanban in circulation." "...stock building may be deemed more appropriate, and is achieved by placing more kanban in the system." "Always attach a kanban to the goods." None of these are explained by interpreting kanban as "billboard" or as "the overall process", the only two meanings provided up to that point.
If you read far enough, eventually you come to the section on Kanban cards, which seems to say that these cards are also called kanban and describes their use. Now things are finally starting to make sense.
Suggestions: Replace earlier usage of "kanban" with "kanban cards" wherever appropriate; and/or add a sentence or two in the first paragraph summarizing what a kanban card is and explicitly stating that these cards are also called kanban.
Slinkp (talk) 05:48, 26 June 2015 (UTC)
Also, the term "kanban" is defined in the header as "queue limiter", further adding to the confusion.
Three-Bin System example
The example in the "Three-Bin System" section is somewhat difficult to understand by someone not familiar with terms from the manufacturing industry. It starts by saying "there is no in-house manufacturing", but then later says "the bin on the factory floor is empty (because the parts in it were used up in a manufacturing process)". These seem to contradict each other. If there is no in-house manufacturing why is there a manufacturing process?
Furthermore, several of the terms are not familiar to the layman. A "factory store" is commonly a place where defective/overstocked goods are sold at a discount, but here it seems to be referring to where the parts from the supplier are received. The term "inventory control point" is used to define the "factory store" but even this isn't clear. Is the inventory of the raw materials/parts or of the finished goods?