In the Afterglow of Your Return

So, hi, world. I sometimes forget for months on end that I have a blog. There's something I haven't told you. I'm in a band. Again. For the first time in twenty years. Here's our first song:

The band is called Travels by Night. Here we come. 

Glossary Proposal

One of the problems Kanban practitioners have faced over the past several years is the lack of agreement of the terminology to use to describe flow systems. This in turn has led to confusion in both those learning the method and those implementing tools to support it. This blog has made a few previous attempts to disambiguate common terms (see discussions of Cycle Time for example). Mike Burrow's Glossary of Terms, [burr] reproduced on the Lean Kanban University site [lkun] is also very useful, though it does not give guidance on which terms to use when applying Little's Law to sub-processes in a more complex Kanban system. 

This article is another foray into this minefield and is principally a proposal for the definitions of commonly used terms relating to Little's Law, particularly seeking terms applicable in complex flow systems and sub-processes within such systems. It is an invitation to others in the community to endorse these definitions, or propose alternatives. Let's not go another seven years with this unresolved!

Note: This is a work in progress and will be updated from time to time in response to feedback from other authors and practitioners.

The Kanban Method is a process improvement approach based on understanding knowledge work as a flow system. The life cycles of the "work items" in such flow systems are analysed and improvements to the process are made based on observable positive change. So let's start with Little's Law since it is the first basis of understanding flow systems. For a given system it may be defined as follows [litt]:

Arrival Rate = WiP / TiP     
where the overline indicates the arithmetic mean in a "stationary" or other compliant system.

Arrival Rate
Measured in: work items per unit of time (seconds, hours, days. working days, etc.)
Definition: The number of units entering the system per unit of time. The work item must be defined for the metric to be meaningful (e.g whether a User Story, Feature, Case, Initiative, Physical Item, Episode, Request, etc.). Little uses Arrival Rate in his definition of the law. In a "compliant" system the average rate of items arriving in the system and leaving it must be equal:

Arrival Rate = Throughput 

Throughput and Delivery Rate are usually treated as synonyms in Kanban systems. However if a distinction is made between delivered and discarded items (essential if we are to understand productivity effectively), a distinction should also be made between these terms. Since items may be either delivered or discarded:

Throughput = Delivery Rate + Discard Rate 

If the Discard Rate is not significant or we exclude discarded items, we can use the common formulation of Little's Law found in Kanban system analysis:

Delivery Rate = WiP / TiP

If the Discard Rate is significant, the historical values of WiP should include only those items that have been delivered and TiP should be the time in process for delivered items only, not discarded ones. (Alternatively use Throughput and ensure that the time in process for discarded items is included.)
Related terms: Throughput, Delivery Rate, Discard Rate, Discard, Abort
References: [ande], [burr], [litt], [vaca]

Throughput
Measured in: work items per unit of time
Alternatives: Throughput Rate, Departure Rate, Processing Rate [rein]
Definition: The number of work items exiting from the system per unit of time, whether delivered or discarded. See also: Postscript on Throughput and Delivery Rate.
Related terms: Delivery Rate, Arrival Rate, Discard Rate
References: [vaca]

Delivery Rate
Measured in: work items per unit of time
Alternatives: Completion Rate
Definition: The number of work items emerging complete from the system per unit of time, This is a key metric to understand the productivity of the system.
Related terms: Arrival Rate, Discard Rate, Throughput
References: [ande], [burr]

Discard Rate
Measured in: work items per unit of time
Definition: The number of work items discarded before completion per unit of time. In typical Kanban systems this metric may be significant relative to Arrival Rate, particularly where the "2 stage commit" is used to prepare but not necessarily complete options. Discard is a general term for abandoning a work item. More specifically to Abort a work items means to discard the item after the Commitment Point in a development system
Related terms: Arrival Rate, Throughput, Delivery Rate, Commitment Point, Abort, Discard

Commitment Point
Measured in: not a metric, a specific point in a defined process
Definition: In a development system process, it is the point at which a commitment is made to develop the work item. Before this point work done supports the decision whether or not to develop the item.
Related terms: Abort, Discard

Abort
Measured in: not a metric, an action
Definition: To Discard a work item after the Commitment Point.
Related terms: Commitment Point, Discard

Discard
Measured in: not a metric, an action
Definition: To stop work on an item and remove it from the process. Note that an item is "discarded" in this sense even if it might be worked on in the future, for example if the work item is moved back to a queue prior to the system/sub-process under consideration. The term is not specific about when in the process the item is discarded, however in a development system process it may apply to items discarded prior to the Commitment Point, since after this point the term Abort is applicable.

Related terms: Abort, Commitment Point

WiP, Work in Progress
Measured in: work items
Definition: The number of work items which have entered the system but which are not yet either completed or discarded.
Related terms: Arrival Rate, Throughput, Delivery Rate, TiP

References: [ande], [burr], [hopp], [marc], [rein]

TiP, Time in Process

Measured in: units of time

Alternatives: Cycle Time (but see cautionary note below), Lead Time (when referring specifically to the time in process in a Kanban development system from the Commitment Point to delivery), Throughput Time [modi], Time In System [rein]

Definition: The time that a work item remains in the system or sub-process under consideration prior to being either completed or discarded. This is the key metric in understanding the time to delivery of a system. More specific terms may be derived by replacing "Process" with the particular part of the process of interest, for example "Time in Development". As with all the terms in Little's Law the scope of the system or sub-process under consideration must be well defined to ensure they are meaningful.

A key reason for recommending this term is that it sidesteps the "Cycle Time versus Lead Time" debate which shows no sign of resolution within the communities that use these terms.
Related terms: Cycle Time, Lead Time, Touch Time, Takt Time
References: [macc]

Cycle Time
Measured in: units of time

Alternatives: For CT1 (defined below) use its reciprocal - Delivery Rate; for CT2 use TiP or (where applicable) Lead Time

Definition: The time taken for a "cycle". This is a very ambiguous term which should not be used in Kanban without qualification. Examples of where it is commonly used in the literature are:

• In a factory: the time between completed units exiting the system [chew], [like], [marc], [woma]
• For a queue: the time an item remains in the queue [litt]
• For an airport security control: the (average) time between two items completing the process [modi]
• For a work station or machine: the time between completed parts exiting the station [chew], [like], [marc], [woma]
• For a worker/team: the time between starting and completing an item [hopp], [modi], [rein], [vaca]
• For a project/team: the time between deliveries of completed items [beck]

It is incorrect to use the term for any period which is not contiguous, e.g. Touch Time or aggregated time in a column. Unfortunately such usage may be found in some tool implementations.

Broadly speaking there are two categories of usage for Cycle Time which may be referred to as CT1 and CT2. CT1 is the time between successive items emerging from a station or system. CT2 is the time an item takes from entering the system to leaving it. It is left to the reader to decide which of the examples above are CT1 or, CT2. Note that there is a special case (when WiP=1) where CT1=CT2. Unfortunately this just tends to confuse people further, especially when the example given to define the term is an example where WiP=1!

Where Cycle Time is used in the Kanban community, its definition "generally" coincides with that of Lead Time for Kanban development systems given below.

Author's Note: Since there is no universally accepted definition of what Cycle Time means in a flow system, the term should simply be avoided.
Related terms: TiP, Lead Time, Touch Time, Takt Time
References: [beck], [burr], [chew], [hopp], [litt], [marc] [modi], [rein], [roth], [vaca], [woma]

Lead Time
Measured in: units of time
Definition: In general usage, Lead Time means the time from the request for an item to the delivery of the item (this may simply be the time to get an item from stock or the time to specify, design, make and deliver an item). However its usage in Kanban development systems is more specific. It indicates the time from the Commitment Point to the delivery. For this to be useful the commitment and delivery points must be made explicit.
Note there remains some ambiguity in this term and I would recommend using TiP in most circumstances, and certainly when analysing sub-processes in a larger flow system. If you use Lead Time, qualify it if necessary (e.g. Development Lead Time and ensure that you define the meaning that you wish to be assigned to it in your context.
Related terms: TiP, Cycle Time, Touch Time, Takt Time

References: [ande], [burr], [marc]

Touch Time
Measured in: units of time
Alternatives: Value-Creating Time
Definition: The sum of all the times during which a work item is actively being working on (excluding wait times, for example being held in stock or in queues).
Related terms: TiP, Cycle Time, Lead Time, Takt Time

References: [modi], [woma]

Takt Time
Measured in: units of time
Definition: The projected customer demand expressed as the average unit production time (i.e. the time between the completion of work items) that would be needed to meet this demand. It is used to synchronise the various sub-processes within the system being designed to meet demand without over or under production.
Related terms: TiP, Cycle Time, Lead Time, Touch Time

References: [marc], [rike], [woma]

Flow Efficiency
Measured in: %
Definition: The ratio of the time spent working on an item (Touch Time), to the total time in process (TiP), i.e.:

Flow Efficiency = Touch Time / TiP

Related terms: Resource Efficiency

References: [modi]

Resource Efficiency
Measured in: %
Definition: The ratio of the time a resource (for example a person!) is actively working on a work item, to their total available time.
Related terms: Flow Efficiency
References: [modi]


References

• [ande] Anderson, David J. Kanban, Blue Hole Press. (2010)
• [beck] Beck, Kent and Martin Fowler, Planning Extreme Programming, Addison Wesley (2000)
• [burr] Burrows, Mike. Kanban from the Inside, Blue Hole Press. (2014)
• [chew] Chew, W. Bruce, Harvard Business School Glossary of Terms [as referenced by Fang Zhou]. (2004)
• [hopp] Hopp, W.J and M. L. Spearman, Factory Physics, 3rd ed., McGraw Hill, International Edition. (2008)
• [like] Liker, Jeffrey K. The Toyota Way, McGraw Hill. (2004)
• [litt] Little, J. D. C and S. C. Graves. Little's Law, pp 81-100, in D. Chhajed and TJ. Lowe (eds.) Building Intuition: Insights From Basic Operations Management Models and Principles. doi: 10.1007/978-0-387 -73699-0, (c) Springer Science + Business Media, LLC. (2008)
• [lkun] Lean Kanban University. Glossary of Terms, from Kanban from the Inside, Mike Burrows. (2014)
• [marc] Marchwinski, C. et al Eds, 4th ed, Lean Lexicon, a graphical glossary for Lean Thinkers. (2008)
• [macc] Maccherone, Larry. Introducing the Time In State InSITe Chart. LSSC. (2012)
• [modi] Modig, N. and P. Åhlström, This is Lean, Rheologica Publishing. (2013)
• [rein] Reinertsen, Donald G, The Principles of Product Development Flow, Celeritas Publishing. (2005) 
• [roth] Rother, Mike and John Shook, Learning to See: Value Stream Mapping to Add Value and Eliminate Muda, Lean Enterprise Institute. (2003)
• [vaca] Vacanti, Daniel S. Actionable Agile Metrics for Predictability: An Introduction, LeanPub. (2015)
• [woma] Womack, J. P. and D. T Jones, Lean Thinking, Simon and Schuster. (1996, 2003)

EXAMS RESULT WHATSAPP STATUS

• Dear Math, please grow up and solve your own problems, I’m tired of solving them for you.
• If you want to make your dreams come true, The first thing you have to do is wake up.
• I know i am something, Because god doesn't create garbage.
• If you like me Then raise your hand, If not then raise your standard.
• Every person be’s a nobody before becoming somebody.
• My one hand is enough to fight against the world.. If u hold the other one…!
• “Success” all depends on the second letter.
• Its Cute When your Crush’s Crush is You.
• Why is it so EASY to fail but so HARD to SUCCEED?
• Sometimes I think to write LOL at the end of every answer in exams :)
• If you need an example of how to live you should not have been born.
• The goal of education is to replace an empty mind with an open mind.
• I hates studying for exams, Is there an APP for that?
• If you are given an open-book exam, you will forget your book.
• Examinations – the only way to know something at least for a few days.
• “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”
• Never be a busy signal on the Prayer line.
• Failure is not an option — it comes bundled with Windows.
• HOW TO SOLVE MATHS : 1. Write down the problem. 2. CRY :P.
• Sometimes we lose, sometimes we win, but in the end… its all same to me.
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• How much easier it is to be critical than to be correct.
• Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.
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• The richer you get, the more expensive happiness becomes.
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• Be a good person, But don’t try to prove.
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• I had never passed a single school exam, and clearly never would.
• Life is like an exam I am determined to pass.
• You might not make heaven if you cover your script during an exam...Sharing is caring!
• I am not failed……My success is just postponed.
• What is the main reason for failure? …………… I think its EXAMS. What do you think?
• If i m pretty does not mean that any boy can get me..
• God created the living to worship him....well no one is worshiping me.
• My school cares more about the uniform than about my education.
• There is creative reading as well as creative writing.
• Self-trust is the first secret of success.
• Science does not know its debt to imagination.
• During last 5 minutes of examination every student gets a super natural power. ☺

COOL LOVE ATTITUDE PUNJABI WHATSAPP STATUS

LOVE WHATSAPP STATUS

I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best.” ― Marilyn Monroe

You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,Love like you'll never be hurt,Sing like there's nobody listening,And live like it's heaven on earth. ― William W. Purkey 

You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.― Dr. Seuss

A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you. ― Elbert Hubbard

Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.― Robert A. Heinlein

Love is like the wind, you can't see it but you can feel it.― Nicholas Sparks

True love doesn’t have a happy ending. It has NO ending ♥ - tenacious

You never fail to amaze me . Everyday there's something new that makes me love you even more than the day before

---> MORE LOVE WHATSAPP STATUS

• Love can be demonstrated not defined.
• Don't say you love me unless you mean it.
• Only you can give me that feeling.
• Love when you’re ready, not when you are alone.
• Love doesn't make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.
• I’d cross the world for someone like you.
• Every love story is beautiful but ours is my favorite.
• My Hearts beats only for you.
• Every time I look at the keyboard U and I always together.
• “Hi”, is a short, simple word but it’s how love starts.

COOL WHATSAPP STATUS

Living on Earth is expensive, but it does include a free trip around the sun. 

If at first you don’t succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.

I want patience – AND I WANT IT NOW! 

A good laugh and long sleep are two best cures for anything. 

Everybody is born with genius mind, but most people only use it a few minute.

Warning…I know KARATE…….And few other oriental words.

I am not telling you it’s going to be easy. I am telling you it’s going to be worth it. 

Thank God There is no Hindi version of whtsapp,otherwise "LAST SEEN" will be "ANTIM DARSHION":P 

---> MORE COOL WHATSAPP STATUS 

• Kahi par pauchne k liye ,Kahi se nikalna jaruri hai 
• Some ppls gives us S3: Sukh Shanti and Samridhi. Some ppls gives us 3D: Dukh Dard Dhokha 
• BaBy jitne kharcha tu #cute dikhne k liye krte h
• usse jaida to khrcha to ldkiya mere ek smile pane k liye krti h
• Kuch log meri photo dekh kr itna EXCITED HOJATE HAI ki...smjh nhii aata pahele LIKE kre ya SAVE kreh

ATTITUDE WHATSAPP STATUS

I speak my mind. I never mind what I speak.

I enjoy when people show Attitude to me because it shows that they need an Attitude to impress me 

I Am Not Special , I Am Just Limited Edition :P 

I hate when people look at my phone while I'm typing. It's not that I have something to hide... It's just none of their damn business :/ 

Stop checking my status ! Go Get A Life :P 

When Sum One Hates You for no reason.................Give them a reason :P :D 

My attitude depends on the people in front of me 

Smile in front of people who hate you… Ur happiness kills them 

I dint change , i just grew up. You should try it once 

There is no market for YOUR EMOTIONS so never advertise your FEELINGS just display YOUR ATTITUDE

---> MORE ATTITUDE WHATSAPP STATUS

तेवर तो हम वक्त आने पे दिखायेंगे ,,शहेर तुम खरीदलो उस पर हुकुमत हम  चलायेंगे…!!!

बादशाह नहीं बाजीगर से पहचानते है लोग ,,“……क्यूकी…….”हम रानियो के सामने झुका नहीं करते….!!

शेर खुद अपनी ताकतसे राजा केहलाता है;जंगल मे चुनाव नही होते.. ।।

में बंदूक और गिटारदोनों चलाना जानता हूं ।तय तुम्हे करना हे कीआप कौन सी धुन पर नाचोगे..।

राज तो हमारा हर जगह पे है…।पसंद करने वालों के “दिल” में ; औरनापसंद करने वालों के “दिमाग” में…।।

रियासते तो आती जाती रहती हे,मगर बादशाही करना तो..आज भी लोग हमसे सीखते हे ।

खेल ताश का हो या जिंदगी का ,अपना इक्का तब ही दिखानाजब सामने बादशाह हो ।

तुम गरदन जुकाने की बात करते हो ,हम वौ है जो आंख उठाने वालोकी गरदन पऱसाद मै बाट देते है..।।

शायरी का बादशाह हुं और कलम मेरी रानी,अल्फाज़ मेरे गुलाम है, बाकी रब की महेरबानी ।

हथियार तो सिर्फ सोंख के लिए रखा करते हे ,खौफ के लिए तो बस नाम ही काफी हे ।

अकल कितनी भी तेज ह़ोनसीब के बिना नही जित सकती ,बिरबल काफी अकलमंद होने के बावजूद..कभी बादशाह नही बन सका ।

पसंन्द आया तो दिल में ,नही तो दिमाग में भी नही ।

जिंदगीमें बडी शिद्दत से निभाओअपना किरदार,कि परदा गिरने के बाद भी तालीयाँबजती रहे….।

PUNJABI WHATSAPP STATUS

Kad aayegi online Tu Kudiyee... Mein Chat Box to na nazra hatava..ni saara din facebook te... Tere page te gediyaan laava

Yar russe tan RAB russe,Yar fir russe tan DIL tute,Yar fir russe tah JAG shute,Yar fir russe tah?? Maro sale de roz da he kam aa :P

Jhuthe muho na kehndi dil vich haan tere,,haan je tu kre kra jindagi main naam tere

Tere naalo taan saada "ANTIVIRUS" changa...jehda saadi care taan karda

Jini marji chatting karlo, setting taan rab ne Hi krauni ae

Tera pyaar 500 de note varga ,, darr lagda DUPLICATE na hove

Pehlaa tu laggi mainnu hoor pari c ......... Hunn taa changgi lagge duur khadi Hi

Kaash koi sannu petrol de rate waang pyaar kare ... Jehda wadhdaa hi jaave

Thoda time tu V kad yaara nu De tu jhatt...hove tera gud luck Je kara main tainu f***

Dine mashook lad Di .... Rat Nu sala machar lad Da 

Ni main pyar ch shreef ladai wich gunda... Meri aankha vich ankha pake dekhda ni munda

Pura hath mera vich sarkar De... Lal bati taiyo lagi ute car de 

--> MORE PUNJABI WHATSAPP STATUS 

Whatsapp Status By You

Dusro ki ankho m aasu dene vale log ...Aksar ye kyu bhool jate h ki ....Unke paas bhi do ankhe h.....-mishty.tyagi

तेरी गली मे रहने वालो से कह़ दो की अपनी ओकात मे रहे , जिस दीन हम बिगडे उस दीन शहेर भी अपना ओर अदालत भी.....-Sunil Makwana

Pal Do Pal Ki Hi Kyo H Zindgi-Anya

 

It doesn't matter if you are rich or poor if she really loves you she would encourage you to improve your life and stay on your side till you are ready to go !-Rabih shouman

 

NaMak Swadd ANUsar...............Akad oKat Anusarr.............. :-)-Parmeet Singh

how can i move on when am still in love with you-natun joy chakma

Smile is noting like always happy-kasturi

 

Pyar kro toh saccha; varna ALONE hi accha......-Aisha Jasper Khan

iam what iam i never try to be some one else..-ahana

You have ten fingers and one mouth... so talk less type more ;)-Anjana

भाई एक दिन इतना faMouS होगा
की लोग FaCebooK की जगह GooGle पर searCh करेगे-Innocent ritesh

Mitra di gall da jwaab deja ni kudiye crzy look waliye-gagan virdi

WO khush h aaj kisi or ki banho me PR ahsaas nhi unhe kis kushi ko miss kr diya humari banhe khaali chodhkr-pardeep

 

Just saw the most smartest person when i was in front of the mirror:P-manjeet

apni dosti ka bs itna sa usul h... Jo tu kubul h to tera SB kuch kubul h....-anjum

 

Apηi tʘ bassek нi zidd нaiη... - Saя pe Taaj●┼─:)─┼● -Saтн me kʘiKнαss ...,:* - Is"kamiηiduηiya"peяααj-shubh

Life is too short. Don’t waste it reading my watsapp status….-manikanta

I love when i wake up and the first text i see on my cell is yours-angel

Humse milne sirf do log hi aate hai...ek jinme jigar ho..aur dusra jinka zero figure ho-Baba Singh Bahubali

sm tyms v luv a prsn 4 no reason,,,,,,,,n sw tyms dat prsn leavs us 4 no reason:-((:-((-priya

hukumatt woh hi krte hai jinka dilo pe raaj hota hai yun toh gali k murgo k sar pe bhi taaj hota hai :-P-khushi

Dine chain na aave,raati neend na aave.Mai rab nu puchea,rabba ki ehi pyar hai.Rab kehnda oh soja chup kr ke,garmi naal sarre passe ehi haal hai-Vicky Moliya

kitna mushkil hai mohobbat ki kahani likhna jaise paani pe paani se paani likhna-Hitesh

σн вαву ℓσνє мє ..мαкє мє ¢яу αи∂ иєνєя ℓєт мє gσ ..αи∂ нσℓ∂ мє тєяι вαнσ мαι ..тσиιgнт ℓєт мє ℓσνє υ ѕσмє мσяє..❤❤-Alka

Love means exposing yourself to the pain of being hurt by someone you trust-France paul

I wanted to kill sexiest person aliv....... But suicide is a crime ;-)-Gulrez Ul ein

 

Galat kaam karte nahi........kisi k BAAP se darte nahi...-Raja Kokate

Rishto ki dorri me ek dhaga mera ek tumhara-Nivi

 

Mera Atitude, Meri Beauti... Tera Atitude Meri Juti...-Nidhi Panwar

"हमने भी बदल लिऐ है ... असूल जिंदगी के,,, अब जो याद करेगा.... वही याद रहेगा"..।।-RaO KUnaL

itna guman na kar apni jeet ka teri jeet se jyada toh charche meri haar ka h-devanshi

Nadan hai vo jo khte ishk ek bar hota hai.....Jaruri nhi ek bar me jo mila vo true love ho...WAIT AND WATCH-Shweta Tiwari

when first time we kiss I closed my eyes and she closed her ayes and we missed-sunny kapoor

 

आजाओ ना एक बार सामने दुलहन बनकरखुदा की कसम जान भी दे देँगे मुह दिखाई मेँ..!-Arjun tailor

sometimes being single is the best option to be happy-queen kashyap

kash koi hum pr bi itna pyar jatati piche se akar wo hamari ankh chipati hum puchte ki kaun ho tm wo haskr khud ko hamari jan batati-Amir khan

Baat karni hai to kar..Nhi to jake apna rasta pakad-kriya