Monitoring queues
To enable Lean flow, you need to closely examine queueing theory, the mathematical field behind the behavior of queues and waiting in line (think Starbucks or the checkout area of your local supermarket!). A number of mathematical formulas will be useful in helping us make sure we understand what we have to do to ensure Lean flow. These are:
- Little’s Law
- Kingman’s Formula
Let’s see how we can use these elements of queueing theory to enable Lean flow.
Where are our queues?
A key difference between product development queues and product manufacturing queues is that the artifacts of product development (particularly software development) are not physical and it is difficult to grasp the progress until completion, whereas in manufacturing, you can visually ascertain the completeness of a product while on the factory floor. This invisibility factor makes it easy to ignore these queues, often at your own peril.
Long queues...
