DevOps in Kanban

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Lyrics

[Verse 1]
When your dev team's drowning in reactive fires
And platform work keeps getting pushed aside
Kanban boards can be your guide through the mire
Flow and cycle time will be your pride
No more sprint velocity pressure games
Just steady flow through lanes that have clear names

[Chorus]
Flow not velocity, that's the Kanban way
Swim lanes organize your work today
Forty percent reserved for platform dreams
WIP limits guard against reactive screams
Flow not velocity, keep the balance right
Planned work and reactive in plain sight

[Verse 2]
Swim lanes separate your different work types
Planned platform tasks in their own row
Support requests and incidents in their stripes
Compliance work with its own flow
Each lane has limits you cannot exceed
When WIP is capped you plant the seed

[Chorus]
Flow not velocity, that's the Kanban way
Swim lanes organize your work today
Forty percent reserved for platform dreams
WIP limits guard against reactive screams
Flow not velocity, keep the balance right
Planned work and reactive in plain sight

[Bridge]
But here's the danger lurking in the dark
Without sprint forcing functions in place
Reactive work will steal your platform spark
Long-term investment loses the race
Management discipline must hold the line
Reserve capacity by clear design

[Verse 3]
When dev teams scream their urgent needs are real
The squeaky wheel demands immediate care
But platform debt you cannot see or feel
Will compound interest beyond repair
Capacity reservation is your shield
Without it planned work always yields

[Chorus]
Flow not velocity, that's the Kanban way
Swim lanes organize your work today
Forty percent reserved for platform dreams
WIP limits guard against reactive screams
Flow not velocity, keep the balance right
Planned work and reactive in plain sight

[Outro]
DevOps Kanban needs that steady hand
Protect the future while you serve today
With swim lanes organized and limits planned
You'll optimize for flow the Kanban way

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