Blocked Columns vs Stalled Work in Project Boards
Explains why using blocked columns for stalled tasks on project boards harms workflow, and suggests better ways to highlight and address blocked work …
TL;DR; Not all delays are equal; waiting for approval is different from being blocked by missing dependencies. Treating all delays as blocks hides real workflow issues and reduces accountability. Make delay sources explicit, track idle time, and highlight true blockers to identify and fix underlying problems.
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?
Each classification [Concepts, Categories, & Tags] was assigned using AI-powered semantic analysis and scored across relevance, depth, and alignment. Final decisions? Still human. Always traceable. Hover to see how it applies.
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.
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