Explains the difference between waiting and blocked tasks, why clear distinction matters in workflows, and how to track and address sources of delay for better optimisation.
Not all delays are the same.
A task waiting on legal approval isn’t blocked—it’s in a waiting state. A task that needs a missing dependency to proceed is actually blocked. These distinctions matter.
Why? Because treating “waiting” as “blocked” distorts your workflow. It hides the real problem areas and makes it harder to optimise the system. It also encourages teams to wash their hands of responsibility—“It’s in blocked, so it’s not on me.”
A better approach? Make the source of delay explicit. Use tags, highlight blockers visually, and—most importantly—track how long work sits idle. The goal isn’t just to know something is blocked; it’s to fix the systemic issue behind it.
How does your team make these distinctions visible?
If you've made it this far, it's worth connecting with our principal consultant and coach, Martin Hinshelwood, for a 30-minute 'ask me anything' call.
We partner with businesses across diverse industries, including finance, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, engineering, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, legal, government, and military sectors.
CR2
Lockheed Martin
Emerson Process Management
Jack Links
DFDS
Bistech
Genus Breeding Ltd
Slaughter and May
Ericson
YearUp.org
Alignment Healthcare
Schlumberger
ProgramUtvikling
Workday
NIT A/S
Xceptor - Process and Data Automation
New Signature
Illumina
Washington Department of Enterprise Services
Royal Air Force
Ghana Police Service
Washington Department of Transport
Department of Work and Pensions (UK)
Nottingham County Council
ALS Life Sciences
Graham & Brown
Freadom
Jack Links
NIT A/S
CR2
