Flight Level 1 describes the operative level of work organization: how does a single team work on its tasks? This is about daily work, visualization on the team board, WIP Limits, and optimization of local workflow. Most Kanban implementations begin at this level because the changes fall within the team’s direct sphere of influence.
At Flight Level 1, a development team might have a Kanban board with columns like Backlog, Analysis, Development, Review, and Done. It sets WIP Limits per column, tracks Cycle Time, and conducts regular Retrospectives to improve its process. The team becomes more effective at this level but eventually hits limits when dependencies on other teams or a lack of strategic prioritization disrupt the flow. That is when work at Flight Level 2 and 3 becomes relevant.
The Flight Levels model was developed by Klaus Leopold and provides a structure for scaling Kanban beyond the individual team without introducing a heavyweight framework.
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