Kanban Board Simulation - WIP Limit, Tameflow Kanban Token and Drum-Buffer-Rope
Stefan Willuda
This simulation allows you to compare different approaches to influence flow, the Flow Times and the throughput of a work process.

By adjusting the sliders below you can 
  • observe the work process without any work in process limitations (WIP Limits), 
  • with process step specific WIP Limits* (work state WIP limits), 
  • or you may want to see the impact of the Tameflow approach with Kanban Token and Replenishment Token 
  • or see the impact of the Drum-Buffer-Rope** method. 
* Well know in (agile) Kanban
** Known in the physical world of factory production

The "Tameflow approach" using Kanban Token and Replenishment Token as well as the Drum-Buffer-Rope method take oth the Constraint (the weakest link of the work process) into consideration when pulling in new work items into the delivery "system". 

You can also simulate the effects of PUSH instead of PULL. 

Feel free to play around and recognize the different effects of work scheduling methods. 

If you have questions or feedback get in touch via twitter @swilluda

The work flow itself
Look at the simulation as if you would look on a kanban board. 

The simulation mimics a "typical" software delivery process. 

From left to right you find the following ten process steps. 
  1. Input Queue (Backlog)
  2. Selected for work (waiting for analysis or work break down)
  3. Analyse, break down and understand
  4. Waiting for development
  5. In development
  6. Waiting for review
  7. In review
  8. Waiting for deployment
  9. In deployment
  10. Done