WIPniveaus
WIPniveaus, or WIP levels, describe the amount of work in progress in a production or service process at a given moment. They quantify unfinished items that are not yet completed, including partially manufactured products, partially processed services, or tasks across different stages of a value stream.
Purpose and use: WIPniveaus are managed to balance capacity with demand, shorten lead times, reduce queueing
Measurement and relation to other metrics: WIP can be counted by the number of items in process
Applications and variations: In manufacturing, WIP levels are used to coordinate queues between machines. In software
Implications and challenges: Properly chosen WIPniveaus improve predictability and reduce waste, but overly strict limits can