The document outlines a simulation activity designed to demonstrate efficiency in processing coins among players with varying abilities. It shows how timing and the number of items handled at once affect overall performance, concluding that processing fewer items at a time can decrease total time and increase individual contributions to the task. Insights emphasize the importance of minimizing work in process and the impact of individual actions on group productivity.

1. Pass the pennies
A simulation of a simulation showing
How to achive more, by doing less
Marcus Hammarberg
@marcusoftnet, The Salvation Army Indonesia

2. What is needed
• 4 players
• (4 supervisors, can be done by the players, must have
clocks)
• 20 coins
• A table & 4 chairs
• A whiteboard or flipchart to note results on (and a
pen)

3. How to run
• The goal is to move all the coins through all the
players (the whole process)
• Each player does his work by flipping each coin over
• We time
• The time each player works
• Start when flipping the first coin
• Stop after flipping the last coin
• The time it takes for the first coin to come out of the
process
• The total time it takes for all the coins to goes through
the process

4. Our players, in the simulation
• I’ve introduced some
variations to keep it
interesting
• Beth will use one hand
and make no mistakes
• Cesar will use one hand
and drop 1 coin per
iteration
• Daphne will use two
hands and make no
mistakes
• Adam will use one hand
and make no mistakes

5. A word about timing
• There’s an artificial clock ticking in the left
corner during the game
• It ticks one tick per transition
• These are my made up times for the tasks
• Flip of a coin takes 1
• Move the coins to the next person take 1
• Dropping a coin takes 3
• To see clearly who’s working (as in
“time ticking”) I’ve added a green
square around the active players
“Clock”:
00:05

6. Iteration 1
20 coin batches

7. “Clock”:
00:00

8. “Clock”:
00:01

9. “Clock”:
00:02

10. “Clock”:
00:03

11. “Clock”:
00:04

12. “Clock”:
00:05

13. “Clock”:
00:06

14. “Clock”:
00:07

15. “Clock”:
00:08

16. “Clock”:
00:09

17. “Clock”:
00:10

18. “Clock”:
00:11

19. “Clock”:
00:12

20. “Clock”:
00:13

21. “Clock”:
00:14

22. “Clock”:
00:15

23. “Clock”:
00:16

24. “Clock”:
00:17

25. “Clock”:
00:18

26. “Clock”:
00:19

27. “Clock”:
00:20

28. “Clock”:
00:21
Beth:
00:21

29. “Clock”:
00:22
Beth:
00:21

30. “Clock”:
00:23
Beth:
00:21

31. “Clock”:
00:24
Beth:
00:21

32. “Clock”:
00:25
Beth:
00:21

33. “Clock”:
00:26
Beth:
00:21

34. “Clock”:
00:27
Beth:
00:21

35. “Clock”:
00:28
Beth:
00:21

36. “Clock”:
00:29
Beth:
00:21

37. “Clock”:
00:30
Beth:
00:21

38. “Clock”:
00:31
Beth:
00:21

39. “Clock”:
00:32
Beth:
00:21

40. “Clock”:
00:33
Beth:
00:21

41. “Clock”:
00:34
Beth:
00:21

42. “Clock”:
00:35
Beth:
00:21

43. “Clock”:
00:36
Beth:
00:21

44. “Clock”:
00:37
Beth:
00:21

45. “Clock”:
00:38
Beth:
00:21

46. “Clock”:
00:39
Beth:
00:21

47. “Clock”:
00:40
Beth:
00:21

48. “Clock”:
00:41
Beth:
00:21

49. “Clock”:
00:42
Beth:
00:21

50. “Clock”:
00:43
Beth:
00:21

51. “Clock”:
00:44
Beth:
00:21

52. “Clock”:
00:45
Beth:
00:21

53. “Clock”:
00:46
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24

54. “Clock”:
00:47
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24

55. “Clock”:
00:48
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24

56. “Clock”:
00:49
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:23

57. “Clock”:
00:50
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24

58. “Clock”:
00:51
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24

59. “Clock”:
00:52
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24

60. “Clock”:
00:53
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24

61. “Clock”:
00:54
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24

62. “Clock”:
00:55
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24

63. “Clock”:
00:56
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24

64. “Clock”:
00:57
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24

65. “Clock”:
00:58
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

66. “Clock”:
00:59
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

67. “Clock”:
01:00
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

68. “Clock”:
01:01
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

69. “Clock”:
01:02
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

70. “Clock”:
01:03
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

71. “Clock”:
01:04
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

72. “Clock”:
01:05
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

73. “Clock”:
01:06
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

74. “Clock”:
01:07
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

75. “Clock”:
01:08
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

76. “Clock”:
01:09
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

77. “Clock”:
01:10
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

78. “Clock”:
01:11
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

79. “Clock”:
01:12
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

80. “Clock”:
01:13
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

81. “Clock”:
01:14
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

82. “Clock”:
01:15
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

83. “Clock”:
01:16
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

84. “Clock”:
01:17
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

85. “Clock”:
01:18
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11

86. “Clock”:
01:18
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:24
Daphne:
00:11
Adam:
00:20
First done:
01:18
All done:
01:18

87. Results
Name 20 coin batch
Beth 00:21
Cesar 00:24
Daphne 00:11
Adam 00:20
Time to first 01:18
Time for all 01:18

88. Notice
• Only one person active at the time
• The others are waiting with nothing to do
• Daphne, working with two hands, is A LOT faster
than the others
• Cesar dropping one coin, slowed down the progress
for the entire chain
• Daphne had to wait her turn
• The first coin was finished at the same time as the
last

89. Let’s try that again!
Same rules and behavior as before.
But this time with 5 coin batches
That’s; flip 5 coins and then pass them over

90. “Clock”:
00:00

91. “Clock”:
00:01

92. “Clock”:
00:02

93. “Clock”:
00:03

94. “Clock”:
00:04

95. “Clock”:
00:05

96. “Clock”:
00:06

97. “Clock”:
00:07

98. “Clock”:
00:08

99. “Clock”:
00:09

100. “Clock”:
00:10

101. “Clock”:
00:11

102. “Clock”:
00:12

103. “Clock”:
00:13

104. “Clock”:
00:14

105. “Clock”:
00:15

106. “Clock”:
00:16

107. “Clock”:
00:17

108. “Clock”:
00:18

109. “Clock”:
00:19

110. “Clock”:
00:20

111. “Clock”:
00:21

112. “Clock”:
00:22

113. “Clock”:
00:23
First done:
00:23

114. “Clock”:
00:24
First done:
00:23

115. “Clock”:
00:25
First done:
00:23

116. “Clock”:
00:26
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23

117. “Clock”:
00:27
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23

118. “Clock”:
00:28
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23

119. “Clock”:
00:29
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23

120. “Clock”:
00:30
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23

121. “Clock”:
00:31
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23

122. “Clock”:
00:32
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23

123. “Clock”:
00:33
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23

124. “Clock”:
00:34
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23

125. “Clock”:
00:35
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23

126. “Clock”:
00:36
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23

127. “Clock”:
00:37
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23
Cesar:
00:30

128. “Clock”:
00:38
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23
Cesar:
00:30

129. “Clock”:
00:39
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23
Cesar:
00:30

130. “Clock”:
00:40
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23
Cesar:
00:30

131. “Clock”:
00:41
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23
Cesar:
00:30

132. “Clock”:
00:42
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23
Cesar:
00:30
Daphne:
00:29

133. “Clock”:
00:42
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23
Cesar:
00:30
Daphne:
00:29

134. “Clock”:
00:43
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23
Cesar:
00:30
Daphne:
00:29

135. “Clock”:
00:44
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23
Cesar:
00:30
Daphne:
00:29

136. “Clock”:
00:45
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23
Cesar:
00:30
Daphne:
00:29

137. “Clock”:
00:46
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23
Cesar:
00:30
Daphne:
00:29

138. “Clock”:
00:47
Beth:
00:26
First done:
00:23
Cesar:
00:30
Daphne:
00:29
Adam:
00:29
All done:
00:47

139. Results
Name 20 coin batch 5 coin batch
Beth 00:21 00:26
Cesar 00:24 00:30
Daphne 00:11 00:29
Adam 00:20 00:29
Time to first 01:18 00:23
Time for all 01:18 00:47

140. Notice
• Many people active at the same time
• Daphne, working with two hands, doesn’t help her
much
• Cesar dropping one coin, slowed down the progress
for the entire chain
• Daphne times were MUCH worse, because she waited
for Cesar
• Even Adam, last in line, was affected
• The last coin came in 31 ticks earlier
• The first coin came in MUCH earlier (55 ticks)

141. Let’s try that again!
Same rules and behavior as before.
But this time with 1 coin batches
That’s; flip 1 coins and then pass it over

142. “Clock”:
00:00

143. “Clock”:
00:01

144. “Clock”:
00:02

145. “Clock”:
00:03

146. “Clock”:
00:04
First done:
00:04

147. “Clock”:
00:05
First done:
00:04

148. “Clock”:
00:06
First done:
00:04

149. “Clock”:
00:07
First done:
00:04

150. “Clock”:
00:08
First done:
00:04

151. “Clock”:
00:09
First done:
00:04

152. “Clock”:
00:10
First done:
00:04

153. “Clock”:
00:11
First done:
00:04

154. “Clock”:
00:12
First done:
00:04

155. “Clock”:
00:13
First done:
00:04

156. “Clock”:
00:14
First done:
00:04

157. “Clock”:
00:15
First done:
00:04

158. “Clock”:
00:16
First done:
00:04

159. “Clock”:
00:17
First done:
00:04

160. “Clock”:
00:18
First done:
00:04

161. “Clock”:
00:19
First done:
00:04

162. “Clock”:
00:20
First done:
00:04

163. “Clock”:
00:21
First done:
00:04
Beth:
00:21

164. “Clock”:
00:22
First done:
00:04
Beth:
00:21

165. “Clock”:
00:23
First done:
00:04
Beth:
00:21

166. “Clock”:
00:24
First done:
00:04
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:23

167. “Clock”:
00:25
First done:
00:04
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:23
Daphne:
00:23

168. “Clock”:
00:26
First done:
00:04
Beth:
00:21
Cesar:
00:23
Daphne:
00:23
First done:
00:04
00:23
All done:
00:26
Adam:

169. Results
Name 20 coin batch 5 coin batch 1 coin batch
Beth 00:21 00:26 00:21
Cesar 00:24 00:30 00:23
Daphne 00:11 00:29 00:23
Adam 00:20 00:29 00:23
Time to first 01:18 00:23 00:04
Time for all 01:18 00:47 00:26

170. Notice
• At 61% of all states EVERYONE was active, adding
value, moving the coins forward
• Daphne, working with two hands, doesn’t help her
much this time either
• Cesar dropping one coin, slowed down the progress
for the entire chain
• But it recovered faster and soon everyone was turning
coins again
• The last coin came in 52 ticks earlier than the first
round
• The first coin came in MUCH earlier (74 ticks)

171. Comments
• Overall time goes down by doing fewer things at
the same time
• Time to first goes WAY down
• When played with humans individual times goes up
• Still not sure why this doesn’t happen here…
• My simulation is probably making simplifications
• In first round there was a lot of waiting
• Every person waited ¾ of the total time
• In last round everyone was working all the time
• Every person was waiting 3-5 ticks

172. More comments
• What’s different?
• Same workers, coins, process and table
• Only difference is number of coins per batch
• Work in Process – WIP is lower
• Number of slides (aka steps in the process)
• 20 coin iteration: 79 slides
• 5 coin iteration: 48 slides
• 1 coin iteration: 26 slides

173. Thank you
Marcus Hammarberg
@marcusoftnet
marcusoftnet@gmail.com
http://bit.ly/theKanbanBook