Marcus UdokangProject Manager| Aivaz ConsultingCalgary, Alberta, Canada
4 Kanban principles are said to be
a) Visualize the work
b) Limit work in progress
c) Focus on flow
d) Continuous improvement
Work in progress limits, limit the work and time, the time taken for a single item of work to make its way through the system. Why should we move work through the system as quickly as possible? We don't want the customer to easily change their mind. We don't want to have to rework everything. Any recommendations on how best to impose WIP limits, which are not always easy to do? Saving Changes...
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Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
As always, there are some little variations depending on the method/framework you use. But my recommendation to people is going to the basement: Kanban system inside Toyota TPS, mainly if you search about JIT. Things can not be taken in a linear way and without context. And everything starts with design. That is something forgotten in the last times mainly in fields like software. Design of the system (not software system, the system as a whole) will determine the final result. Is like a function in mathematics: you will determine the input and the output you expect then the function will give you it or not. In fact, that is the way TPS was created: a model that hast been testing in the reality and because a process of continue improvement was refined. As you know Lean was created by the MIT after buying the license of use or TPS to Toyota. So, concentrate on the system. Unfortunatelly things like SAFe (just for taken something that have contribute to WIP popularity in the last time) are taken like "the Silver Bullet" without taken into account of the system. Saving Changes...
WIP limits shouldn't be "imposed". They should be derived based on the natural capacity of the system to take in more work and process it efficiently. If you are referring to educating team members on "why" WIP limits are important, there are many good videos illustrating that but once the team appreciates the benefits of flow, they themselves will want to encourage tactics which are in support of it.
Kiron Saving Changes...
Marcus UdokangProject Manager| Aivaz ConsultingCalgary, Alberta, Canada
@Sergio, @Kiron, many thanks for the response. Much appreciated.
