There is a mathematical formula which stipulates that it is possible to predict how much time it will take from start to finish to deliver a product, based on the production rate and how much simultaneous Work-In-Progress (WIP) exist in the system. The formula is named after an MIT professor named John Little, and it is central to the study of queuing theory and operations research. Little’s Law helps organizations manage their flow of work, by surfacing flaws in the system, and it has potential applications in many contexts, including Lean Manufacturing and software development.
Related Media
Little’s Law Video
Little’s Law Podcasts
Little’s Law Example
Related Subjects
Acknowledgements
Authored by Philip Rogers
Agile World Resources are provided as free resources to anyone seeking to learn more and are shared under a creative commons attribution license. This means if you use a resource elsewhere you must name Agile World Resources as the source, who the author is, and the photo creator (if used).