WIP expansion
Also known as Growing WIP, WIP accumulation
Definition
WIP expansion is an increase in work in progress over time. It can result from higher arrival rate, lower throughput, longer cycle time, more blocked work, or a change in what counts as in progress.
More unfinished work is a system signal
WIP expansion means the system is carrying more unfinished work than before. It may be caused by a temporary batch, a sustained bottleneck, increased demand, or a broader definition of started work. The direction matters, but the cause determines the response.
A concrete example
An illustrative team has six items in progress at the start of a week and twelve at the end. Only four items finished, while ten new ones entered. The increase is not proof of poor implementation; it shows that arrival exceeded departure during that interval.
Stop feeding the queue
Inspect the state where WIP expands, item age, arrival rate, and blocked reasons. Temporarily prioritize finishing or reduce intake while the constraint is addressed. Moving cards to a holding state without changing the underlying work does not reduce WIP.
Limitations
WIP counts depend on state definitions and item splitting. A planned migration can cause a short-lived increase. Interpret the trend over an appropriate window and separate service classes.
How this relates to Weave
Weave can help teams inspect change activity, review queues, and delivery timing that may explain WIP expansion. Confirm the full work population and workflow policy before attributing growth to one engineering stage.
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