Column WIP limits generate new…
… patterns of interaction and communication that emerge within the process of visualizing disruption of work flow.
The effect of the discussions following the busting of a column WIP limit is likely to nurture new cross-functional, cross-team, cross-departmental and even cross-organizational conversations that would otherwise not take place.
This is very much unlike other approaches (typically, like Scrum, but not only) that impose predefined patterns of interaction and communication, actually dictating when and who has the “right” to speak.
Read more in: Tame the Flow.