Por Qué Importan Límites WIP | GitScrum

Límites WIP previenen sobrecarga y cambio de contexto. Límites configurables de 1-15 tareas ayudan a terminar más rápido.

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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