CAPM Agile Frameworks and Methodologies Practice Question
In a Kanban system, what is the primary purpose of limiting Work in Progress (WIP)?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is confusing WIP limits with resource allocation or quality control, when their primary purpose is to improve flow and expose bottlenecks.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
To identify bottlenecks and improve flow by preventing overloading.
Limiting Work in Progress (WIP) in Kanban is primarily to identify bottlenecks and improve flow by preventing overloading. When WIP limits are reached, the team must stop starting new work and focus on finishing existing work, which exposes bottlenecks and encourages flow. Assigning work to available members, measuring velocity, and ensuring quality are not the primary purposes of WIP limits.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
To identify bottlenecks and improve flow by preventing overloading.
Why this is correct
Limiting WIP caps the number of items in each workflow stage, exposing bottlenecks as queues build and forcing the team to finish work before starting more. This directly satisfies the stem's focus on flow efficiency, since reduced multitasking shortens cycle time and reveals systemic constraints rather than masking them.
- ✗
To assign work to the most available team member.
Why it's wrong here
WIP limits constrain how many items sit in each workflow stage, not who picks them up; work assignment is handled by pull policies and team agreements. The idea is tempting because limiting WIP can reveal idle capacity, but its purpose is reducing multitasking and congestion, not load-balancing tasks across members.
- ✗
To measure the team's velocity accurately.
Why it's wrong here
WIP limits cap concurrent items to expose bottlenecks and improve flow; they do not measure velocity, which derives from completed work over time. Velocity tracking is tempting because both relate to throughput, yet velocity is a Scrum metric, and Kanban deliberately avoids it, measuring cycle time and throughput instead.
- ✗
To ensure each work item has high quality before moving to the next stage.
Why it's wrong here
WIP limits control flow and expose bottlenecks; they do not enforce per-item quality, which comes from explicit policies, definitions of done or built-in verification steps. Quality gating is tempting because limiting items in a stage can prompt review, but Kanban's WIP limit exists to optimise throughput and cycle time.
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Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official PMI exam blueprint
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