Tag Archives: limiting WIP

HOW TO: How to Limit WIP #3–Reducing Interruptions

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Jim Benson

Four hours ago, I walked up to a big pad of paper and started mind mapping all the types of interruptions we might face while trying to get our work done. While I was working, Tonianne, who was on Skype, … Continue reading →

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HOW TO: How to Limit WIP #2–Affinity Mapping

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Jim Benson

Does this look familiar? This is a problem, because an disorderly and frightening READY column is, in and of itself, a form of work-in-progress. Even if you are limiting your WIP, looking at that huge string of demanding post-its weighs … Continue reading →

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HOW TO: Limit Your Work-in-Progress #1–Calm Down and Finish

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Jim Benson

We had a long series, which is soon to become a mini-book, on why you should limit your work-in-progress (WIP). In it we focused on the dangerous side effects of being overworked, of which there are many. Those articles show … Continue reading →

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The Pen: The Handoff Column

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Jim Benson

In our work, we have tasks we need to do, tasks we are doing, and tasks we’ve completed. We know we have a WIP limit and that we shouldn’t exceed it. But tasks aren’t always as tidy as we’d like. … Continue reading →

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Focus: Why Limit Your WIP VII

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Jim Benson

You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. ~ Mark Twain Eldred comes into work on Monday. He is instantly besieged by requests for work, information, meetings, and product from all five of his teams. … Continue reading →

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Creating an Economy: Why Limit Your WIP V

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Jim Benson

“Stop starting and start finishing.” – David Anderson You, right now, are disrespecting your ability to create amazing things. You, right now, are doing more than you should, for more people than is optimal, and in an environment that is … Continue reading →

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Complexity Calming: Why Limit WIP Series, Post 4

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Jim and Tonianne

In a wonderful meta moment today, I (Jim) was prepping for this post and listening to a talk on Library Futures by Jabe Bloom, the CTO of the Library Corporation. A large part of his talk dealt with complexity in … Continue reading →

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Slack: Why Limit WIP Series, Post 3

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Jim and Tonianne

Slack. The word conjures up images of slothfulness, of days spent lazying about in a seaside hammock beneath the fronds of a blowing palm tree. But relaxation is not necessarily sloth. Just because someone or something appears to not be … Continue reading →

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Why Not a WIP of One?: Why Limit WIP Series, Post 2

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Jim and Tonianne

With only two guiding principles – Visualize your work and Limit your WIP – much of Personal Kanban seems fairly straightforward. But it’s not as obvious as it seems, and there’s actually a lot going on under the hood. Tons, … Continue reading →

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What Are Your Task Types?

Posted on March 24, 2010 by Jim Benson

Flexibility is an unsung virtue. People want absolutes: “Do this, then do that, don’t deviate and then you’ll achieve success.” But we all know that absolutes are often false, and that context is king – in life, in work, and … Continue reading →

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