Eric Willeke - WIP: A Tragedy in 278 Parts

WIP: A Tragedy in 278 Parts

Eric Willeke (@erwilleke)Rally Software

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Welcome!

Goal Improve service delivery

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Welcome!

Goal

Techniques

Improve service delivery

Optimize the right thingsAvoid the tragedy of WIPKeep your options open

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Optimize the Right Things

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How Long Does it Take?

Customer lead time(Time to market)

Great Idea! I love it!

We should

get started.

Ok, all good!

Queue time(waiting)

Time in process(TIP)

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Whew! Ship it!

How Long Does it Take?Time in Process

(TIP)

What is this

thing?I think it works.

Nope!

Now?

Yep!

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Analysis & Design Code Test (and fix) Ship

Whew! Ship it!

How Long Does it Take?Time in Process

(TIP)

What is this

thing?I think it works.

Nope!

Now?

Yep!

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Analysis & Design Code Test (and fix) Ship

How Long Does it Take?Time in process

(TIP)

Touch timeWait time= 18 days = 2 days

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How Long Does it Take?Time in process

(TIP)

Touch timeWait time= 18 days = 2 days

Touch time

Wait time + Touch timeFlow efficiency =

2d

18d + 2d= = 10% efficiency

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What is Your Goal?

I love it!(Wow, that was fast!)

I should get started …

(but, I’m so busy)

Flow efficiency “Resource” efficiency100% efficiency10% efficiency

Get things done Keep people busy

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Your Goal

I love it!

I love it!

I love it!

I love it!

I love it!

I love it!

I love it!

I love it!

Keep value moving!

We Have Lots of Work!

(Don’t we have both efficiencies?)

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Image courtesy morguefile.com

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The Tragedy of WIP

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Work Interacts (through workers) …

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… and Impacts Throughput

WIP

Lead TimeTP =

You

are

her

e

Let’s Juggle!

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How Much WIP is Bad?

?

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Our Answer …

Between one and two work items per person - closer to one!

See: http://www.rallydev.com/agilemetrics

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But … but … how can we get there?

Only start the really important things

For every two items you finish, start one new one

For every “expedite,” pull an existing item out

Say “not yet” more

Be creative

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Options and CommitmentBalancing expectations and flexibility

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When do you Commit?

Customer Lead Time(Time to market)

Queue Time(waiting…)

Time in Process(TIP)

Here?

Here?

Here?

When do your customers believe you?

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Avoid Empty Commitments

Treat work here as optionsThese are committed

An untrusted commitment has no meaning (but lots of stress)

Changing our minds here is cheap

Changing here has a cost

Here!

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Commit Later! (And Mean it)

Options have value

Options expire

Never commit early unless you know why

Cover image courtesy Amazon.com, used with authors’ permission

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Limit Commitments in Progress

Com

mit

to h

ere

Not

to

here

Target Range

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Summary: Three Simple Guidelines

1. Keep work moving 2. Do less at once3. Commit when it means something

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Get where you need to be

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Get Where you Need to be!

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Questions?

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Thanks for listening…Eric WillekeRally SoftwareFollow me @erwilleke

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