The document discusses the negative impacts of multitasking on productivity and cognitive function, citing research that indicates multitasking can lead to significant drops in IQ and overall efficiency. It argues for the necessity of Work In Progress (WIP) limits as a means to improve focus, reduce mental overload, and minimize wait times in knowledge work. Recommendations for implementing WIP limits include various strategies such as setting limits per board, state, or using physical tokens.

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Why WIP Limits?
Nader Talai @nadertalai
@London Limited WIP 18 February 2016
#LonLWS

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Why do you
multitask?

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What people say
I like variety
We can keep multiple stakeholders happy
Easier to say yes than no
We get work pushed on to us and have to start

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To get more
done?

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MIT’s Earl Miller, “People can’t do
[multitasking] very well, and when
they say they can, they’re deluding
themselves.” And it turns out the
brain is very good at this deluding
business.

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‘Asking the brain to shift
attention from one activity
to another causes the
prefrontal cortex and
striatum to burn up
oxygenated glucose, the
same fuel they need to stay
on task.’
https://www.theguardian.
com/science/2015/jan/18
/modern-world-bad-for-
brain-daniel-j-levitin-
organized-mind-
information-overload

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How does multi-
tasking affect
human IQ?

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10 point drop
in IQ
Multi tasking causes
http://www.multitaskingtest.net.au/t
he-science/impacts-of-multi-tasking
UK research shows
distracted workers
suffer a greater loss
of IQ than people
who smoke
marijuana.

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To get more
done?
http://www.apa.org/research/action/
multitask.aspx
Research shows that
you are less
productive!
Up to 40%

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40% less productive
Remind me again – Why do you multitask?

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I Love Lucy Chocolate factory conveyor belt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnbNcQlzV-4

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Knowledge
work
challenges
Balance
Can’t see the work
Too much variability

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Why we need
WiP

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No.ofstories
Completion Time (days)
Completion Time frequency distribution
Percentile Days
95 29
75 14
50 11
25 6

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No.ofstories
Completion Time (days)
Completion Time frequency distribution
Long Tail
Percentile Days
95 29
75 14
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Completion Time (days)
Completion Time frequency distribution
Long Tail
Percentile Days
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25 6
Too much variability

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No.ofstories
Completion Time (days)
Completion Time frequency distribution
Long Tail
Percentile Days
95 29
75 14
50 11
25 6
Too much variability
Knowledge work is not deterministic

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WIP Limits
Essential to create pull
Minimise mental overload
Create focus
Pride of workmanship

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Reducing WiP 
Reduces Wait time 
Increases Flow Efficiency 

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Options
For limiting WiP
Per board
Per state
Per swim lane
Physical space
Tokens
Per person
Pomodoro

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To Do Do Next Doing Ready
20

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To Do Do Next Doing Ready
10
1

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To Do Do Next Doing Ready

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Tokens To Do Do Next Doing Ready

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Tokens To Do Do Next Doing Ready

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Tokens To Do Do Next Doing Ready

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Tokens To Do Do Next Doing Ready

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Tokens To Do Do Next Doing Ready

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Understand Flow
Where do you spend your time?
How much time is due to multi-tasking?
Where do you wait?

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* Zsolt Fabok, Lean Agile Scotland, Sep 2012, Lean Kanban France, Oct 2012
** Hakan Forss, Lean Kanban France, Oct 2013
% Flow Efficiency = (Work Time/ Lead time) * 100

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17 3 4 25 1 16 14 24 5 5
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Completion Time = 114 Days made up of 41 days waiting
This is only between different functions
Does not include the wait time within a function
% Flow Efficiency = (Work Time/ Lead time) * 100
=(73/114)*100 = 64%

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Results

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Extracts from impact
of agile quantified
https://www.rallydev.com/sites/default/files/ImpactofAgileQuantified2015.pdf

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https://www.rallydev.com/sites/default/files/ImpactofAgileQuantified2015.pdf

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https://www.rallydev.com/sites/default/files/ImpactofAgileQuantified2015.pdf

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https://www.rallydev.com/sites/default/files/ImpactofAgileQuantified2015.pdf

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Impact of agile quantified short play list
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMCmLGJg284&index=3&list=PLSRf1YEPZ7uSRlu0FVo3uqRxP-
W7KH2lg
A better explanation is in this 50 minute video: http://www.infoq.com/presentations/agile-quantify

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Delivering flexibility, reliability and predictability in IT environments
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