Jim Benson
Bio
Jim Benson agreed to be an official supporter of Evolved, for which we are very grateful. But approval can be taken away at any time, as new information is learned.
Jim Benson turns up in class from time to time.
Personal or Business or Community websites:
More Publications
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## Books
### 1. **Personal Kanban: Mapping Work | Navigating Life**
**Authors:** Jim Benson, Tonianne DeMaria Barry
**Description:**
This influential book adapts Lean and Kanban principles from manufacturing to personal and knowledge work. Benson and DeMaria Barry introduce two simple rules—visualize your work and limit your work-in-progress (WIP)—to help individuals and teams manage tasks, reduce overwhelm, and improve productivity. The book offers practical guidance, design patterns, and real-world examples for setting up Personal Kanban boards, prioritizing effectively, and fostering continuous improvement in both work and life.
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### 2. **Why Plans Fail: Cognitive Bias & Decision Making**
**Author:** Jim Benson
**Description:**
This book examines the psychological factors, particularly cognitive biases, that contribute to poor planning and flawed decision-making. Benson offers insights and strategies for recognizing and mitigating these biases, aiming to enhance personal and organizational effectiveness. [1]
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### 3. **Why Limit WIP (MemeMachine Series Book 2)**
**Author:** Jim Benson
**Description:**
Focusing on the concept of limiting work-in-progress, this book delves into the science and practicalities behind WIP limits. Benson explains how constraining WIP improves flow, reduces stress, and leads to better outcomes for individuals and teams.
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### 4. **The 3 Pillars of Personal Effectiveness**
**Author:** Jim Benson
**Description:**
Benson outlines three foundational elements for achieving personal effectiveness, drawing from his experience in agile and lean practices. The book offers practical guidance for improving focus, productivity, and overall satisfaction in both professional and personal settings.
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### 5. **The Collaboration Equation: Strong Professionals, Strong Teams, Strong Delivery**
**Author:** Jim Benson
**Description:**
This book explores the dynamics of collaboration in professional settings, providing frameworks and stories that enable teams to build trust, communicate effectively, and achieve strong results.
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### 6. **Beyond Agile: Tales of Continuous Improvement**
**Author:** Jim Benson
**Publication Date:** 2013
**Description:**
A collection of stories and case studies, this book illustrates how continuous improvement principles can be applied beyond agile software development, impacting organizations and individuals across diverse fields.
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## Books
### 1. **Personal Kanban: Mapping Work | Navigating Life**
**Authors:** Jim Benson, Tonianne DeMaria Barry
**Publisher:** Modus Cooperandi Press
**Publication Date:** 2011
**ISBN:** 9780989081221
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### 2. **Why Plans Fail: Cognitive Bias & Decision Making**
**Author:** Jim Benson
**Publication Date:** 2011
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### 3. **Why Limit WIP (MemeMachine Series Book 2)**
**Author:** Jim Benson
**Publication Date:** 2014
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### 4. **The 3 Pillars of Personal Effectiveness**
**Author:** Jim Benson
**Publication Date:** 2012
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### 5. **The Collaboration Equation: Strong Professionals, Strong Teams, Strong Delivery**
**Author:** Jim Benson
**Publication Date:** 2022
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### 6. **Beyond Agile: Tales of Continuous Improvement**
**Author:** Jim Benson
**Publication Date:** 2013
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## Important Articles (selection)
### 1. **Personal Kanban: You Can't Manage What You Can't See**
**Platform:** Lean Enterprise Institute (Lean Post)
**Description:**
Benson explains the core principles of Personal Kanban—making work visible and limiting WIP—and how these enable better prioritization, collaboration, and flow. He discusses why to-do lists often fail and how visual management creates context and clarity, making improvement possible.
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### 2. **Building Your First Personal Kanban**
**Platform:** Kanban Tool
**Description:**
In this practical guide, Benson outlines how to set up a simple Personal Kanban board in three steps: establishing workflow, collecting all tasks in a backlog, and setting WIP limits. The article emphasizes the importance of visualizing work and focusing on finishing tasks, not just starting them.
