Business process guide
Queues, Backlogs and Work-in-Process
Backlogs are not just an inconvenience. They lengthen lead time, hide problems and make priorities unstable.
Practical note: process design depends on organization, data, controls, laws, contracts and technology. Treat examples and calculators as educational planning aids, then validate changes against your own requirements.
Measure age as well as count
Two queues with 100 items can be very different if one is two hours old and the other is two weeks old.
Limit work in progress
Starting less can help finish more when people constantly switch among too many active items.
Use priority rules deliberately
Urgency, customer impact, due date and risk can justify priority, but too many 'urgent' exceptions destroy the normal flow.