Bean plant has pods...what's next? And please don't say eat them!?

pick the pods when after they are green for a while. wait until they are a little yellowish/brownish then pick them. this will ensure that they are fully ripe. you will have to string them probably too.

If you're growing them for the beans inside, to use as dry beans, soup beans, etc...then it's easy. You wait until the pods matures and dries on the plant. You harvest the whole plant, and shuck the beans out of the pods then. If the plants are still green when you harvest, let them dry a few days after harvest (keep out of rain!)

they can be eaten at any size in any stage of development.

if you want dried beans leave then until the plant dies and the pods are brown and will crush in your hand to separate the dry pod from the mature beans