What the Heck is Work Item Aging and Why is It So Important?

Think of Work Item Aging like the food in your refrigerator. All food has an expiration date (and if it doesn’t, maybe think twice before eating it!).

Work items are the same way.

Here is what Work Item Age is defined as in the Kanban Guide, 

"The amount of elapsed time between when a work item started and the current time."

That’s right—Work Item Age starts when the work begins. We could dive into a debate about what exactly “start” means, but for now, let’s focus on this: Work Item Aging is a key metric that helps teams maintain flow in their system.

Let’s Put It in Perspective

So let’s put this into perspective. Imagine you just bought an avocado and placed it in your fridge. We’ll call that the “start” of the work item.

As days go by, the avocado ripens, waiting to be eaten. But then it  rolls to the back of the fridge and gets forgotten. By the time you find it again…yikes—it’s too ripe to eat.

If only we had kept an eye on it, we could have used it when it was ready and ripe.  Better yet, if we had checked on it regularly, we’d know the exact moment to grab it before it spoiled.

That’s exactly what Work Item Aging helps you do, it keeps an eye on your work before it goes bad.

The Work Item Aging Chart

Take a look  this Work Item Aging chart:

Here is a quick 101 on how to read this chart:

- The x-axis shows the workflow states.

- The y-axis shows the number of days each item has been in progress.

- Each dot represents a work item and where it currently stands in the workflow.

- The Service Level Expectations (SLEs)—we took it at  50%, 85%, and 95% thresholds, indicating when a work item may be at risk of becoming overdue.

Why Does This Matter?

Now that we’ve explored the parts of a Work Item Aging chart, let’s talk about why it’s so powerful.

This chart gives your team visibility into how work is flowing (or not) through the system. By reviewing aging items regularly, you can spot early signs of delays, bottlenecks, or potential flow issues.

When an item starts approaching or exceeding its SLE, it’s a signal: Time to act and reinstate “FLOW”!

So, Now What?

This isn’t just about reading charts or even constructing the chart—it’s about turning insight into action!

As a team, review aging items and ask:

• Can we move this item forward before it hits the SLE?
• Should we prioritize this item immediately?
• Are there blockers we can remove?
• Can this work be broken down or reassigned?

The goal is always to restore flow and reduce waste.

We wouldn’t want to waste a perfectly good avocado—and we shouldn’t waste valuable work either.

To recap, use the Work Item Aging chart to:

• Focus on the right work
• Resolve bottlenecks
• Keep work items flowing smoothly-pull work “just in time”
• Prevent "spoiled" or forgotten tasks

Keep your system fresh. Keep it flowing. And keep your avocados (and work items) in check!

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