1. WIP: A Tragedy in 278 Parts
Eric Willeke (@erwilleke)
Rally Software
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2. Welcome!
Goal Improve service delivery
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3. Welcome!
Goal
Techniques
Improve service delivery
Optimize the right things
Avoid the tragedy of WIP
Keep your options open
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4. Optimize the Right Things
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5. How Long Does it Take?
Customer lead time
(Time to market)
Great
Idea!
I love it!
Time in process
We
should
get
started.
Ok, all
good!
Queue time
(waiting)
(TIP)
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6. Whew!
Ship it!
How Long Does it Take?
Time in Process
(TIP)
What is
this
thing?
I think it
works.
Nope!
Now?
Yep!
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7. How Long Does it Take?
Time in Process
(TIP)
Analysis & Design Code Test (and fix) Ship
Whew!
Ship it!
What is
this
thing?
I think it
works.
Nope!
Now?
Yep!
www.rallydev.com ©2014 Rally Software Development Corp

8. How Long Does it Take?
Time in process
(TIP)
= 18 days = 2 days
Wait time Touch time
Analysis & Design Code Test (and fix) Ship
www.rallydev.com ©2014 Rally Software Development Corp

9. How Long Does it Take?
Time in process
(TIP)
= 18 days = 2 days
Wait time Touch time
Touch time
Wait time + Touch time
Flow efficiency =
2d
= = 10% efficiency
18d + 2d
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10. What is Your Goal?
I love it!
(Wow, that
was fast!)
I should get
started …
(but, I’m so
busy)
Flow efficiency “Resource” efficiency
10% efficiency 100% efficiency
Get things done Keep people busy
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11. Your Goal
I love
it!
I love
it!
I love
it!
I love
it!
I love
it!
I love
it!
I love
it!
I love
it!
Keep value moving!
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12. We Have Lots of Work!
(Don’t we have both efficiencies?)

13. Image courtesy morguefile.com
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14. The Tragedy of WIP
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15. Work Interacts (through workers) …
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16. … and Impacts Throughput
WIP
Lead Time
TP =
You are here
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17. Let’s Juggle!

18. How Much WIP is Bad?
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19. Our Answer …
Between one and two work items per person
- closer to one!
See: http://www.rallydev.com/agilemetrics
www.rallydev.com ©2014 Rally Software Development Corp

20. www.rallydev.com ©2014 Rally Software Development Corp

21. But … but … how can we get there?
Only start the really important things
For every two items you finish, start one new one
For every “expedite,” pull an existing item out
Say “not yet” more
Be creative
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22. Options and Commitment
Balancing expectations and flexibility
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23. When do you Commit?
Customer Lead Time
(Time to market)
Queue Time
(waiting…)
Time in Process
(TIP)
When do your customers believe you?
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24. Avoid Empty Commitments
An untrusted commitment has no meaning
(but lots of stress)
Treat work here as options
These are
committed
Changing our minds
here is cheap
Changing here
has a cost
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25. Commit Later! (And Mean it)
Options have value
Options expire
Never commit early unless you
know why
Cover image courtesy Amazon.com, used with authors’ permission
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26. Limit Commitments in Progress
Target Range
Commit to here
Not to here
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27. Summary: Three Simple Guidelines
1. Keep work moving
2. Do less at once
3. Commit when it means something
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28. Image courtesy morguefile.com
Get where you need to be
Get Where you Need to be!
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29. Questions?
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30. Thanks for listening…
Eric Willeke
Rally Software
Follow me @erwilleke
Your pic
www.rallydev.com ©2014 Rally Software Development Corp