What does Work in Progress (WIP) represent?

Work in Progress (WIP) refers to the tasks that are currently being worked on but are not yet completed. It represents the average volume of items or tasks that are in the process of being worked on at any given moment. This metric is crucial in Lean practices as it helps identify bottlenecks, manage flow, and optimize efficiency within a process.

By focusing on the average volume of work in progress, organizations can better balance their workloads, improve throughput, and ensure that they are not overloading their teams. Managing WIP is essential for maximizing productivity and minimizing waste within a system. Lean methodologies emphasize the importance of controlling WIP to reduce cycle times and enhance delivery performance.

In contrast, the total output of a process, the amount of finished goods available, and resources allocated for future projects do not accurately capture the essence of WIP, which is specifically about the work actively being processed but not yet completed.