Service class
Also known as Class of service, Kanban service class
Definition
A service class is a category of work with a shared policy for sequencing, WIP treatment, and service expectation. Examples include standard, expedite, fixed-date, and intangible work.
Different work can need different service
A service class makes the cost of waiting and the handling policy visible. Standard work may follow normal pull order, while urgent or date-constrained work may have a different expectation. The classes should be few, understandable, and tied to a real difference in service need.
A concrete example
An illustrative team uses standard work, a single expedite slot for incidents, and a fixed-date class for regulatory deadlines. A request cannot enter expedite because a stakeholder is impatient; it needs to meet the incident policy. That rule protects the ordinary queue.
Review the mix
Measure arrival, age, cycle time, throughput, and interruption by class. If a class is rarely used, simplify it. If it dominates, investigate whether its policy is masking a capacity or prioritization problem.
Limitations
Classes do not make work equal within a class. They also cannot resolve conflicting business priorities. A class should guide sequencing, not become a permanent excuse to bypass quality controls.
How this relates to Weave
Weave can help teams compare delivery patterns across clearly labeled service classes. It does not assign a class or decide priority, so the policy and its exceptions should be explicit in the workflow system.
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