The Myth of Multitasking: Why IT Operations Needs WIP Limits

Many of us still approach work with the attitude of "do all the things, and do them now." However, research proves that multitasking is harmful to productivity. IT Operations teams that are overloaded with handling new requests and keeping production stable often suffer from bottlenecks due to multitasking. Kanban employs work-in-process (WIP) limits to minimize multitasking and improve the flow of work. This article presents a case study of an IT Operations team that faced the bottleneck effect due to too much work in progress. Using WIP limits can help your team reduce multitasking and focus on finishing the work that matters most.