Count the states that occupy a slot
The sample team allows at most three active task slots. Its local rule counts in-progress and blocked-but-retained tasks; queued and finished tasks do not count. A is in progress, B blocked but retained, and C in progress. D is ready but queued. This is a chosen team policy, not a universal productivity rule.
| Task | State | Occupies slot |
|---|---|---|
| A | In progress | 1 |
| B | Blocked; retained | 1 |
| C | In progress | 1 |
| D | Ready; queued | 0 |
Free a slot before pulling D
- Read current task states
- Count three occupied slots
- Keep D queued
- Complete or explicitly suspend an existing task
- Start D against freed slot
A blocked task is not automatically free capacity under this policy. Suspending it requires a recorded owner decision and next review.
The board has three occupied slots, so D cannot start. If C completes, the team can pull D while A and B keep their current records. Finishing D cannot be inferred from merely moving it into an active column.
C completes and D starts. How many active slots are occupied?
Show the worked answer
Three: A, B and D. C no longer counts; the policy limit remains satisfied.