WIP — Work In Progress
Definition: Tasks, inventory, or products that have been started but not yet completed. In operations and agile teams, too much WIP is the single biggest predictor of missed deadlines.
Example
A Kanban board with WIP limits of 3 per column forces the team to finish work before starting new work — counterintuitive, but it raises throughput.
When you'll hear it
WIP shows up most often in board meetings, quarterly business reviews, and strategy off-sites. When someone uses it, they're usually referring to work in progress — and they expect the room to already know what that means.
FAQs
What does WIP stand for?
WIP stands for Work In Progress.
What does WIP mean in business and finance?
Tasks, inventory, or products that have been started but not yet completed. In operations and agile teams, too much WIP is the single biggest predictor of missed deadlines.
Where will I hear WIP used at work?
WIP comes up most often in board meetings, quarterly business reviews, and strategy off-sites. It's used as shorthand for work in progress, so people assume you already know the term.
Related terms
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