We all know how difficult it can be to balance strategic goals with operational execution. That’s where the Flight Levels Kanban model, developed by Klaus Leopold, comes in. It’s a thinking tool that offers a bird’s eye view of your organisation’s workflows and helps you ensure that all teams—not just the agile ones—are contributing towards the big picture.
The key? Visualising work at three different “Flight Levels”—helping you keep everything from high-level strategy to daily tasks in sync.
So, What is the Flight Levels Kanban Model?
The Flight Levels model isn’t a framework in the traditional sense. It’s more of an approach that helps organisations focus on improving work across teams, departments, and even the entire organisation, rather than just at the individual team level (as traditional Kanban does).
Team-level agility on its own is not enough. The aim is to make sure the whole organisation, from frontline teams to senior leaders, works towards the same strategic goals, while staying efficient and aligned, rather than simply telling teams to “be agile” or adopting a tool for its own sake.
The Three Flight Levels
Here’s where it gets interesting. The model works by breaking your organisation’s work into three distinct “flight levels,” each focusing on different areas of the business:
Flight Level 1: Team Operations
At the ground level, teams manage their daily work. Here’s where traditional Kanban boards shine. Teams use them to visualise workflows, limit work in progress (WIP), and continuously improve their processes.
- Key Features:
- Visualising work with Kanban boards
- Limiting WIP to boost focus
- Improving processes through regular retrospectives
Flight Level 2: Coordination Across Teams
Here, you move up a notch. Flight Level 2 focuses on cross-team collaboration. It’s all about coordinating teams, managing dependencies, and ensuring multiple teams stay aligned to deliver larger goals.
- Key Features:
- Synchronising work between teams
- Managing dependencies to avoid bottlenecks
- Aligning team objectives with bigger projects
Flight Level 3: Organisational Strategy
This is where the magic happens. Flight Level 3 connects everything with the company’s strategic vision. It’s about senior leadership overseeing the project portfolio to ensure that the work being done supports the organisation’s top priorities.
- Key Features:
- Ensuring projects align with the business strategy
- Managing a portfolio of initiatives
- Adjusting strategy based on real-world feedback
Why Flight Levels Kanban?
You’ve probably heard buzzwords like “enterprise agility” thrown around a lot lately, but the Flight Levels model actually makes this happen. It provides:
- Holistic Agility: It’s not just about being agile within teams. It’s about spreading that agility across the organisation, making sure that improvements in one area don’t create chaos in another.
- Clearer Visibility: With all the work laid out in front of you—whether it’s at the operational, coordination, or strategic level—you’ll have a much clearer understanding of how tasks link back to your organisation’s goals.
- Better Collaboration: It’s no secret that teams working in silos can be a nightmare. Flight Levels helps break down those barriers, leading to smoother cross-team collaboration and faster value delivery.
Flight Levels for Enterprise PMOs: Clarity and Insight
For Enterprise PMOs, the Flight Levels Kanban model makes a real difference. PMOs are tasked with aligning projects with strategic goals, ensuring resources are used efficiently, and providing the right data to stakeholders. Flight Levels Kanban gives PMOs a practical way to do this.
Strategic Alignment
At Flight Level 3, PMOs can ensure that all projects and initiatives contribute to the company’s overall goals. It allows for better portfolio management, giving you a clear view of which projects should be prioritised based on strategic value. This makes it easier to avoid distractions and focus on high-impact initiatives.
Cross-Team Coordination
Flight Level 2 is a lifesaver for PMOs that juggle multiple teams working on interdependent projects. By coordinating efforts across teams and managing dependencies, you can avoid common pitfalls like project delays caused by waiting on other teams. It’s a surefire way to keep things moving smoothly.
Operational Insight
Even at Flight Level 1, PMOs can benefit by having insight into the day-to-day workings of teams. Understanding how teams operate and where bottlenecks arise helps PMOs refine processes and improve resource allocation.
Data-Driven Reporting
The Flight Levels approach offers enhanced visibility at every level, which translates into better reporting for PMOs. It gives you the data you need to create comprehensive reports that reflect both the strategic and operational status of the organisation. Better insights lead to more informed decisions, and that means delivering more value with less waste.
How to Get Started
Implementing Flight Levels Kanban isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, but it’s a relatively straightforward journey. Here’s what you need to do:
- Assess the Current State: Start by mapping out existing processes at all three levels. How does work flow from strategic planning down to team execution?
- Visualise Workflows: Create Kanban boards tailored for each flight level. Flight Level 1 boards track tasks, while higher levels track projects and strategic initiatives.
- Create Feedback Loops: Establish regular review meetings at each level. This keeps things moving and ensures work is always aligned with organisational goals.
- Manage Dependencies: Use tools to map and manage interdependencies. The goal here is to ensure teams don’t trip over one another.
Overcoming Common Challenges
Sure, adopting the Flight Levels model can require some effort, but it’s well worth it. Some common challenges include:
- Cultural Shift: Moving towards more transparency and cross-team collaboration may require a change in company culture.
- Tooling and Training: Make sure you invest in the right tools to visualise workflows at all levels and provide training so everyone understands their roles.
- Commitment to Continuous Improvement: Flight Levels isn’t a one-off exercise—it’s about building a culture of continuous improvement. Be ready to assess and adjust regularly.
The Bottom Line
The Flight Levels Kanban model bridges the gap between strategy and execution. Whether you’re leading a team or running an Enterprise PMO, it gives you the tools to align work with strategic goals, improve coordination between teams, and ultimately deliver value faster.
Flight Levels® is a registered trademark of Flight Levels Academy, co-founded by Klaus Leopold.