The clinic-scheduling team starts more work than it finishes each iteration. Which flow signal should the SM/TC use first?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
Starting more than you finish is leaving every exam room occupied and nobody discharged. The vital sign is flow load—WIP going up. Speed slogans will not empty the rooms.
Full Explanation
When a team starts more than it finishes, flow load (WIP) is the primary health signal that too much is in process. Starting more than you finish is leaving every exam room occupied and nobody discharged. Coaches treat elevated WIP as the vital sign, not as a reason to demand higher velocity theater.
A higher velocity target to burn down the started work fails because raising point targets does not reduce WIP and often worsens multitasking. Individual utilization charts proving everyone is busy fail because busyness usually correlates with overload, not throughput. PI Objective stretch counts to absorb unfinished work fail because stretch language should not hide systemic overload.
Exam caveat: Little's Law thinking—more WIP lengthens flow time—guides the coaching response. Operational check: measure WIP daily, stop starting until finish rates catch up, swarm aging items, and report flow load beside outcomes so leaders see overload instead of only utilization praise. Flow-load coaching prevents heroic multitasking cultures that look busy while case cycle times grow. Flow-load coaching prevents heroic multitasking cultures that look busy while case cycle times grow. Flow-load coaching prevents heroic multitasking cultures that look busy while case cycle times grow.