How do I explain WIP limits to my executives
Set the limit, then have the conversation. Lead with throughput, never with less.
Limiting work-in-process might be the single most powerful technique for improving flow, speeding releases, and raising the quality of what ships. It is also politically a hot potato.
Executives can hear limiting WIP as we want to do less, and that strikes them as out of keeping with the pressure of building a company. So how you introduce it to senior leaders matters as much as the limit you pick.
The underlying case is not about doing less. Multitasking causes errors, teams focused on fewer things work faster and better, and smaller batches mean fewer handoffs and fewer chances for something to get lost. A team juggling five things is also a stressed team, and a stressed team makes worse decisions.
What you get
- A table for setting the limit per stage, including what spills over
- Three framings that answer the question an executive is actually asking
- The three objections to expect, with space for your answer
- The numbers to walk in with, so it is a proposal rather than an opinion
Where should we send it?
One email with the worksheet. You can unsubscribe from anything else in one click.
On its way
Check your inbox. If it has not landed in a minute or two, look in promotions or spam, and add sam@startuppatterns.com to your contacts so the rest arrive.
Adapted from the Delivery chapter of The Mindful Product Company by Sam McAfee.