WIP Limit Kanban Throughput
Calculate WIP limits, kanban throughput, and flow efficiency for your team. Optimize agile workflows and identify bottlenecks with this free kanban tool.
Formula
Cycle Time = WIP / Throughput
Little's Law states that the average time an item spends in a system (Cycle Time) is equal to the number of items in the system (WIP) divided by the average completion rate (Throughput). To speed up delivery, you must lower WIP.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Dev Team
Problem: WIP Limit 5 items. Throughput 2 items/day.
Solution: Cycle Time = 5 / 2 = 2.5 Days.
Result: 2.5 Days Avg Cycle Time
Frequently Asked Questions
Why limit WIP?
Limiting WIP reduces context switching, exposes bottlenecks (queues), and improves Cycle Time. It forces the team to swarm on blocked items rather than starting new ones.
What is a good WIP limit?
A common heuristic is 1.5 × Number of Team Members. Or, start with current WIP and reduce by 20% until it hurts. Lower is usually better until flow starves.
How does WIP affect quality?
Lower WIP improves quality because feedback loops are faster. If you find a bug 2 hours after coding it, it's cheap to fix. If you find it 2 weeks later, it's expensive.
What is 'Slack' in Kanban?
Idle time. In Kanban, having people idle is okay if the *work* is flowing. Maximizing 'Resource Utilization' (100% busy people) guarantees 100% traffic jams.
Difference between Kanban and Scrum?
Scrum limits WIP via timeboxes (Sprints). Kanban limits WIP via explicit column limits. Scrum resets every 2 weeks; Kanban is continuous.
Can I use Kanban for personal tasks?
Yes! 'Personal Kanban' (To Do, Doing, Done) with a WIP limit of 2-3 in 'Doing' prevents overwhelm.