Lead time matters

The difference between lead and cycle time, and how to tackle these metrics to maximize flow.

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Lead time matters far more than cycle time most when you’re optimizing for flow across an organization.

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If the difference between the two isn’t obvious to you, here’s a quick diagram that summarizes the most basic differences between these two concepts. 

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Now, that’s an oversimplification since one person’s cycle time can be someone else's' lead time but at the end of the day lead and cycle times could be either value add or not. 

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My point is that engineering and IT leaders should attack lead time with at least as much energy, if not more, in organizations where engineers, designers and product managers have a hard time getting into flow and solving problems creatively. 

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Why?

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Lead time stacks if you’re optimizing for maximizing flow  and minimization of value less work.

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If you’re scared that your output will reduce by focusing on minimizing total WIP and optimizing for flow, I’d recommend exploring Lean Enterprise, Accelerate and Flow.