PROJECT WIP MANAGEMENT AS A RISK CONTROL DRIVER FOR TIMELY COMPLETION

This research addresses a critical gap in construction management by introducing novel indicators for assessing completion through Work-In-Process (WIP) management. The study reveals that project production management practitioners frequently equate physical progress with completion, a misconception contributing to unexpected project delays. Through production systems patterns analysis, this research introduces Rate of WIP (RWIP), Rate of Completion Convergence (RCC), and complementary metrics for multiple production systems completion (Q6) and maximum achievable completion (Q6'). These indicators, grounded in Little's Law principles, provide a framework for monitoring completion trends and predicting schedule overruns. The methodology combines modeling with practitioner surveys, demonstrating how WIP patterns serve as early warning signals for potential delays for unstable production systems, enabling proactive schedule risk management and improved project delivery reliability.