# WIP - Work in Progress ## Summary WIP means **Work in Progress**: work that has been started but not finished. In Owlery, WIP matters because too much started work often creates waiting, switching, hidden dependencies, and slower finishing. Simple version: > If everything is in progress, nothing gets full attention. ## Why it matters High WIP can make a team look productive while reducing actual movement. People are busy, but work spends more time waiting, being switched between, being re-opened, or competing for scarce attention. ## Useful question What should we stop starting so we can start finishing? ## See also - [[WIP Pressure Converts Capacity into Friction]] - [[Context Switching Is Hidden WIP]] - [[WIP and Focus Check (10 min)]] - [[Busy But Not Moving Review (20 min)]]