How to Set WIP Limits on Jira Kanban Boards in Jira

Work In Progress limits, commonly called WIP limits, are one of the most important controls available on a Jira Kanban board. They define how many issues can exist in a column at a time and help teams maintain healthy flow and predictable delivery.

WIP limits are configured in the board settings under column configuration. For each column, you can define both a minimum and a maximum number of issues. When a column violates either limit, Jira visually highlights it so the team can see that flow needs attention.

Maximum WIP limits prevent overload. When too many issues pile up in a column, bottlenecks form, cycle time increases, and work becomes harder to finish. WIP limits force teams to focus on completing work before starting new items.

Minimum WIP limits are equally important. They prevent starvation. If a column falls below its minimum, it signals that work is not flowing fast enough from upstream stages and team members may soon be blocked.

When a WIP limit is violated, Jira highlights the column. The goal is not to punish the team but to prompt action. Teams should swarm the blocked stage, remove impediments, and restore flow.

WIP limits are a core Kanban concept and are heavily tested on Jira certification exams such as ACP-120 and ACP-620 because they directly impact throughput, cycle time, and delivery predictability.

Understanding this is essential for both real Jira administration and Jira certification success.

WIP Limits are tested heavily on Jira certification exams.

Cameron McKenzie is an AWS Certified AI Practitioner,Machine Learning Engineer,Solutions Architect and author of many popular books in the software development and Cloud Computing space. His growing YouTube channel has well over 30,000 subscribers.