Work in Process (WIP) describes the number or quantity of tasks that are currently in progress but not yet completed. The term originally comes from lean production and was coined by Toyota, but it has special significance in the context of knowledge work, Scrum, and Kanban: Too much WIP slows down the flow and increases waste.
Practical relevance
In agile frameworks, WIP is made visible – typically on Kanban boards or task boards. WIP limits restrict the number of parallel tasks. The goal is to complete tasks more quickly instead of leaving many things "started" at the same time.
Example:
• Without WIP limit: 10 stories are "in progress," but after 2 weeks, none are finished.
• With WIP limit: 3 stories at the same time → the first ones are "done" after a few days.
WIP affects key metrics such as lead time, predictability, and quality.
Typical misunderstandings
❌ "WIP limits slow teams down" – in fact, they speed them up because they create focus.
❌ "WIP only affects IT teams" – HR, purchasing, sales, and management are just as prone to overload due to too many parallel issues.
❌ "WIP doesn't matter as long as capacity is right" – Overload due to context switching always leads to efficiency losses.
Relevance for organizations
• Improve flow: Less parallel work, faster delivery.
• Increase quality: Teams can focus more on completion.
• Increase predictability: Through reduced fluctuations in delivery time.
• Promote cultural change: WIP transparency reveals where organizations are trying to do too much at once.
WIP management is particularly crucial in portfolio management: too many initiatives lead to massive delays and opportunity costs.
Real-world example
A software team regularly started 12–15 stories in parallel, only a few of which were completed on time. With the introduction of a WIP limit of 4 per iteration, throughput time was halved, while delivery reliability increased to over 90%. The team also reported less stress and clearer priorities.
Use cases for WIP
• Team level: Limiting parallel stories in the sprint or Kanban board.
• Program level (SAFe ART): Visualization of ongoing features in the program Kanban.
• Portfolio level: WIP limits on initiatives/epics to implement "stop starting, start finishing."
• Individual level: Personal task management (e.g., max. 2 tasks at a time).
Role of coaches & moderation
Good Agile coaches or RTEs actively use WIP as a lever for learning and development:
• Data analysis: Teams reflect on the impact of WIP based on throughput times and bottlenecks.
• Experiments: Introduction of gradual WIP limits, adapted to the level of maturity.
• Visualization: Transparency through boards or cumulative flow diagrams (CFD).
• Cultural work: Coaches help teams develop the "courage to stop" instead of starting everything at once.
This makes WIP not just a metric, but a tool for focus, team discipline, and sustainable improvement.
CALADE perspective
At CALADE, we consistently use WIP limits as a catalyst for flow and effectiveness. Transformations show that organizations often start too many initiatives at the same time. Systematic visualization and limitation create a focus on the essentials – a decisive success factor. Our coaches work with teams, ARTs, and management to understand WIP not as a "restriction" but as an enabler of speed and clarity.
Related terms
• Kanban Framework
• Flow Efficiency
• Cumulative Flow Diagram (CFD)
• Stop Starting, Start Finishing
• Lean Thinking
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