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Anyone ever tried a flat card wall?

We were thinking of bringing a card wall back into our room but to keep using the tool also. Due to our room layout, half of the team would not see the wall and could miss the opportunity for a conversation in seeing a card being moved on the wall.

We thought that a flat card wall could work, just laid out on a desk and we'd make it more interactive by having some sort of pieces that could be pushed along the 'wall' to change status etc.

Has anyone ever tried a flat card wall, did it work or just not visible enough?

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2 answers

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jbosse

I think it depends a lot on the purpose for the card wall. In your question you refer to one of the big reasons we use the physical task board, that a developer going the the task board gets people's attention and begins a conversation. In Agile teams, the communication/conversation of the team is critical to the team's success and anything that can facilitate communication is a good thing.

I think a "flat task board" is worth a shot, at least for an iteration. If it doesn't work as intended, try the wall, and if that doesn't work, try the ceiling. ;-)

I do wonder how you plan on keeping a software tool and physical tool in sync?

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  • 0

diana

I've seen some very creative card "walls" in use - though I haven't seen a flat one yet. It's worth a try. :)

I have a bunch of questions about how you'll make it work for you. Would you lay a magnetic whiteboard flat and secure the cards with magnets? Will you use a regular table top? What will you use to keep the cards in place, yet easily movable when intended?

As you mention, card walls are all about visibility. Do you have a centrally located, visible place for the table where people will come to move cards? How will you increase the visibility?

I join jbosse, in wondering how you will keep the virtual and tangible in sync. Do you have an Agile coach or sm who will keep them up, or will team members take on the task?

Other creative methods I've seen when no common wall was available (none are magnetic so you have to use the index cards with sticky edges) include:

"found" walls - a large folding table turned on it side and mounted on another table

portable walls 1 - a rolling whiteboard (sometimes these are magnetic) that can shift around to be visible to different people

portable walls 2 - a piece of coated shower wall material that's lightweight and easily leaned against an available cube or window without attachment.

hung walls - a clothes line strung from one point to another, with the heaviest flip chart paper you can find pinned to it then taped together side by side

window walls - use a well-insulated window (a relight can work well) that doesn't accumulate condensation from weather changes for a see-through wall

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