Work in Progress (WIP)

The number of work items that have been started but not yet completed at any given time. In Kanban, WIP limits cap the maximum number of items allowed in each workflow stage simultaneously. Limiting WIP reduces multitasking, exposes bottlenecks, and improves flow by encouraging team members to finish existing work before starting new work. High WIP is a leading indicator of slow cycle times and context-switching overhead. The optimal WIP limit is typically determined empirically — start with a limit slightly higher than team size and reduce it until flow improves without creating idle time. 'Stop starting, start finishing' is the Kanban mantra for WIP discipline.