The Importance of Limiting Work in Progress for Quality and Well-being

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Limiting work in progress (WIP) is crucial for maintaining high-quality output and reducing cognitive load, which can lead to stress, health issues, burnout, and depression. Acknowledging that excessive WIP elongates task completion times emphasizes the need to prioritize essential tasks. Saying 'yes' too often can hinder our ability to focus on the most critical work, as it dilutes our effectiveness and increases overwhelm. To combat this, individuals must be brutally honest about their priorities and protect their time fiercely, ensuring they work on the most impactful tasks rather than spreading themselves too thin across many commitments. This discipline not only improves quality and boosts confidence in deliverables but also fosters overall well-being in a demanding work environment.

“The five thieves of time are: too much work in progress, conflicting priorities, unplanned work, unknown dependencies, and neglected work."

Dominica DeGrandis is the author of “Making Work Visible”. In this episode, we discussed how we can optimize our workflow and reclaim control of our work and time. Dominica unveiled the concept of the five thieves of time that rob us of our productivity, that includes too much work-in-progress (WIP), conflicting priorities, unplanned work, unknown dependencies, and neglected work. She also shared actionable practices and tips on dealing with each of these thieves. Towards the end, Dominica emphasized the importance of bringing visibility to and measuring the flow of what leadership and customers care about - the delivery of customer value—big picture items that span end-to-end value streams.

Listen out for:

Career Journey - [00:03:47]
Making Work Visible & Five Thieves of Time - [00:08:45]
Thief: Too Much WIP - [00:15:31]
WIP is a Leading Indicator - [00:18:33]
Thief: Unplanned Work - [00:20:45]
Making Sense of WIP - [00:23:04]
Thief: Conflicting Priorities - [00:24:38]
Thief: Unknown Dependencies - [00:29:17]
Managing Dependencies - [00:32:53]
Thief: Neglected Work - [00:36:40]
Make Organization Work Visible - [00:41:21]
Measuring Flow - [00:50:19]
3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:55:11]

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Dominica DeGrandis’s Bio
A huge fan of using visual cues to inspire change, Dominica DeGrandis, author of Making Work Visible - Exposing Time Theft to Optimize Work & Flow, and Principal Flow Advisor at Planview, helps organizations make work visible to improve workflow. Obsessed with useful metrics & influencing change, Dominica advises customers on flow metrics, value stream management and how to effect change.

Follow Dominica:

LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/dominicadeg
Website – ddegrandis.com/

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