Start with one shared project
Choose a project people already understand: a website launch, a weekly content plan, or a customer onboarding improvement. A board full of every possible future idea is hard to navigate. Keep the first board focused enough that teammates can recognize what matters this week.
In Lanelet, a team can have multiple boards. Use another board when the work serves a different purpose, rather than scattering one project across several boards. People in the same team can see the team’s boards. Create a separate team when membership needs to be different.
Agree on three simple rules
A column label leaves room for interpretation. Write down what your team means by “ready to start”, “in progress”, and “done”. If a task requires review before it is complete, include that review in your definition of done.
Make responsibility clear. The assigned person owns the next step, but ownership does not have to mean doing every part alone. When work is blocked, add the reason to the task description and tell the person who can unblock it.
- To do means the task is understood and ready to start.
- In progress means someone is actively working on it.
- Done means the agreed result and any review are complete.
Finish something before starting everything
A small team has limited attention. Opening ten tasks at once can make the board look active while delaying every result. Choose a practical limit together, such as one main task per person, and adjust it when the work calls for collaboration.
Lanelet does not enforce a work-in-progress limit automatically. Treat the limit as a team agreement and use the In progress column to see when that agreement needs attention.
What should a board review include?
Keep reviews short. Look at what is already in progress, identify blockers, and decide what can finish next. Then pull new work from To do. The board is a shared picture of the work, so update it as part of working rather than waiting until a review.
If the team keeps skipping a field or a ritual, ask whether it helps someone make a decision. A simple system people maintain is more useful than a detailed system people ignore.