How to Build a Kanban Board in Trello

Trello Kanban boards make project management easier and more visual. This guide walks you through setting up your first board to keep you on track. Start building your ideal project layout today!

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If you’re managing many projects or tracking tasks, using a Trello Kanban board can help you stay organized. Trello’s visually intuitive design makes it easy to use Kanban—a popular method for visualizing and optimizing workflows.

This guide walks you through creating a Kanban board in Trello, plus highlights why Trello is a great tool for this purpose. You’ll also get to know an alternative that offers more robust features for advanced task management. Read on to learn more.

In this article
  1. What Is Kanban?
  2. Steps To Make a Kanban Board in Trello
  3. Why Use the Kanban Board in Trello
  4. How to Make a KanbanBoard Easily

What Is Kanban?

Kanban is a project management approach that started in the 1940s with Toyota’s production line. Its primary goal is to improve efficiency by visualizing tasks as they move through different stages in a workflow.

Each Kanban board typically has lists like “To-Do”, “In Progress”, and “Completed”, where tasks are represented by cards. As tasks progress, the cards are moved to reflect their status. This method provides clarity and ensures a balanced workload and focused productivity.

Today, Kanban is widely used across various industries, such as software development, marketing, and education. It helps teams stay organized and focused while fostering collaboration.

Steps To Make a Kanban Board in Trello

Setting up a Kanban board in Trello is a straightforward process perfect for task management

Step 1: Create a New Trello Board

To start, log into Trello and go to your main dashboard. Click either Create at the top or Create new board under YOUR WORKSPACES. Name your board, choose a background color, and click Create Board to set it up.

making a kanban board in trello
Step 2: Add Kanban Columns

Once your board is created, add columns (or “lists”) to represent stages like “To Do”, “Doing”, and “Done”. These columns will help you visualize your workflow and track task progress as you move them across the board.

making task cards
Step 3: Add Tasks as Cards

Add tasks to your Kanban board as Trello cards. Click Add a card under each list, type in the task details, and save. Drag and drop cards between columns to reflect your progress. Next, Use Power-Ups to set Work-in-Process (WIP) Limits, which are add-ons that enhance board functionality.

Tip: Set a Work-in-Process Limit

To set a Work-in-Process (WIP) limit, click Show Menu in the upper right, select Power-Ups, then search List Limits. Add this Power-Up, then set limits to prevent overloading any column—an essential feature in Kanban.

list limits power up
Step 4: Customize Each Task Card

Click any card to add details like descriptions, due dates, and labels. Customize cards to ensure they contain all essential information. This will help you prioritize tasks and keep track of important deadlines.

customizing each task card
Step 5 (Optional): Use Trello’s Kanban Template

For a faster setup, Trello offers a pre-designed Kanban template. From your dashboard, click Templates. Next, choose Kanban Template and edit it as needed. This template includes basic columns and the List Limits Power-Up, so you can start using your board right away.

Trello kanban templates

With these steps, you’ll have a functional Trello Kanban board ready to organize and streamline your projects. Here’s what the Trello Kanban board template looks like:

trello kanban board template

Why Use the Kanban Board in Trello

Using Trello for Kanban comes with several advantages that simplify project management:

Easy Visualization: Trello’s card-and-board layout offers clear visibility into each task’s status and allows you to manage workflows with minimal effort.

Enhanced Collaboration: Trello enables real-time collaboration, where team members can comment, attach files, and assign tasks, keeping everyone in sync.

Flexible Customization: Trello’s card customization lets you add deadlines, labels, checklists, and more. The flexibility makes it easy to adapt each board to your specific needs.

Smooth Workflow Updates: Moving tasks between lists is as simple as drag-and-drop, offering a streamlined way to keep the team informed and engaged.

How to Make a KanbanBoard Easily

For a seamless Kanban experience that’s more powerful than Trello, try Wondershare EdrawMind. This intuitive tool combines mind mapping and task management, delivering an efficient Kanban board function that’s ready to go in seconds. Here are the steps:

Step 1

Download EdrawMind, install it, and log in to your Wondershare account.

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Step 2

From the dashboard, select Task Kanban to begin building your board.

wondershare edrawmind main user interface
Step 3

Set up columns like “To-Do”, “In progress”, and “Completed” to define stages. Use the New Card button to add tasks under each column, detailing what needs to be done.

creating kanban board tasks
Step 4

Click a card’s menu to change colors, set priorities, and track progress. Additional tags, images, and time indicators help keep tasks organized and manageable.

editing the kanban board
Step 5

Easily move tasks across columns to reflect their status, making it easy to keep your board current.

dragging and dropping each card
Step 6

When your board is ready, simply click Share to collaborate or save for future reference.

sharing the kanban board

With EdrawMind, you gain a professional, flexible Kanban board that streamlines project management for teams and individuals. Try EdrawMind today and unlock a new level of task control.

Conclusion

Elevate your productivity with EdrawMind’s easy-to-use, feature-packed Kanban tool, which is ideal for detailed, professional task management.

A Kanban board enhances task management, making projects organized and easy to track. EdrawMind’s version offers superior features over Trello, streamlining the experience for both personal and professional use. Explore EdrawMind’s Kanban to improve productivity and maintain focused task management.

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EdrawMind Team
EdrawMind Team Jan 25, 25
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