Agile & Scrum delivery · Core
Work in progress limit
Also called: WIP limit
ELI5
A rule limiting how much work is open at once.
Used in conversation
“The WIP limit forces the team to finish before starting more.”
Definition
A cap on the number of items allowed in a workflow state at one time.
Here “Work in progress limit” means: A cap on the number of items allowed in a workflow state at one time.
Pitch context
You will see “Work in progress limit” in product strategy decks, roadmaps, experiments and architecture reviews when the discussion reaches agile & scrum delivery.
Why it matters: It helps a reader interpret agile & scrum delivery without confusing the measure, decision, role or evidence being discussed.
Sources & evidence · 2
Direct term-level sources and supporting source families.
- Scrum Guides — The Scrum Guide — official current versionDirect source · primary · checked 2026-08-16
- National Institute of Standards and Technology — Computer Security Resource Center GlossarySupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16