3 min read • Guide 338 of 877
Why Do WIP Limits Matter for Development Teams?
Why do WIP limits matter for development teams?
WIP (Work-In-Progress) limits matter because they prevent context switching, reduce multitasking overhead, and force teams to finish tasks before starting new ones. Studies show developers lose 23 minutes per context switch [Source: UC Irvine Research]. GitScrum's WIP limits of 1-15 tasks per column reduce active work, increasing completion rates by 35%.
How WIP limits improve developer productivity
| Without WIP Limits | With WIP Limits |
|---|---|
| 10 tasks "in progress" | 4 tasks in progress |
| Constant context switching | Focused work sessions |
| Nothing finishing | Steady completion rate |
| Unpredictable delivery | Predictable throughput |
| Developer burnout | Sustainable pace |
How to set effective WIP limits:
- Count your team size - 5 developers = baseline
- Start with 2× formula - Development column: 10 task limit
- Set Review limit lower - Review: 3-5 tasks max
- Observe for 2 sprints - Track where work stalls
- Lower if work piles up - Reduce by 2 and observe
- Raise if developers idle - Increase by 1-2 if flow stops
GitScrum WIP limit configuration
| Column | Recommended WIP | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Backlog | No limit | Planning reservoir |
| Ready | 10-15 | Enough for sprint |
| Development | 1.5× team size | Active coding |
| Review | 0.5× team size | Prevent review bottleneck |
| Testing | 0.5× team size | QA capacity |
| Done | No limit | Completed work |
Benefits of enforcing WIP limits
- 23 minutes saved per avoided context switch [UC Irvine]
- 35% faster task completion [Lean Software Development Study]
- 40% reduction in work-in-progress inventory [Kanban Metrics]
- Visible bottlenecks - See where work stalls
- Forced collaboration - Help finish before starting