Use Cumulative Flow Diagrams
Importance of measuring throughput
Cycle time is a key metric
Be predictable
Actionable, transparent, and predictable
About the author
Summary
A Cumulative Flow Diagram (CFD) shows the flow of work items through the development process, highlighting areas where work is accumulating or stagnating.
Why it's important: CFDs provide a visual representation of workflow and can help teams identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement.
How to implement it: Define a consistent process for creating and updating CFDs, including the work items to be included and the time period to be covered. Regularly review and analyze CFDs to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement. Use CFDs to inform decision-making and drive continuous improvement.
Throughput measures the rate at which work items are completed over a period of time.
Why it's important: Throughput provides insights into team capacity and performance, allowing teams to identify bottlenecks and make informed decisions about resource allocation and planning.
How to implement it: Define a consistent process for measuring throughput, including the time period and work items to be included. Regularly track and analyze throughput data to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement. Use throughput data to make informed decisions about resource allocation and planning.
Cycle time measures the time it takes to complete a single work item, from the time it is started to the time it is delivered.
Why it's important: Cycle time provides a reliable indicator of how long it will take to deliver work items in the future. By measuring cycle time and identifying opportunities for improvement, teams can reduce delivery times and increase predictability.
How to implement it: Define a consistent process for measuring cycle time, including the start and end points for each work item. Regularly track and analyze cycle time data to identify opportunities for improvement. Use cycle time data to predict project delivery times and make informed decisions about resource allocation and planning.
Teams that are constantly changing or working in different ways are less predictable than those with stable membership and consistent processes.
Why it's important: Predictability is essential for effective planning and resource allocation. Stable teams and consistent processes provide the foundation for predictability by minimizing the impact of external factors and allowing for better forecasting.
How to implement it: Foster stable teams by promoting cross-training, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. Establish consistent processes that can be easily replicated across teams and projects. Regularly review and refine processes to ensure that they remain effective and efficient.
Metrics should provide insights that can be used to drive action, should be visible to everyone involved, and should be reliable indicators of future performance.
Why it's important: Metrics are a powerful tool for identifying areas for improvement and tracking progress. However, if metrics are not actionable, transparent, and predictable, they may not be effective in driving the desired outcomes.
How to implement it: Choose metrics that align with business goals and can be used to drive action. Ensure that metrics are visible to everyone involved in the process and are communicated in a clear and understandable way. Regularly review and refine metrics to ensure that they remain predictive and reliable indicators of future performance.
Be predictable
Be predictable
Actionable, transparent, and predictable
Cycle time is a key metric
Who is it for?
Actionable, transparent, and predictable
Actionable Agile Metrics for Predictability: An Introduction is a book that introduces readers to the concept of using metrics to measure the performance of Agile teams. The book focuses on the use of "flow metrics" such as Cycle Time and Throughput to help teams gain insight into their work and improve predictability.
The author emphasizes the importance of using data to make decisions and provides practical guidance on how to collect and analyze metrics. He also addresses common misconceptions about Agile metrics and provides real-world examples of how metrics have been used to improve performance in Agile teams.
For the majority of the last 15 years, Daniel Vacanti has focused on Lean and Agile practices. He played a significant role in creating the Kanban Method for knowledge work in 2007, and that same year managed the first project implementation of Kanban.
Since then, he has been offering Kanban training, coaching, and consulting services. In 2011, Daniel established Corporate Kanban, Inc., a company that delivers top-notch Lean training and consulting services to clients worldwide, including various Fortune 100 firms.
In 2013, he founded ActionableAgileTM, which offers unparalleled predictive analytics tools and services for any flow-based process.
Daniel holds a Master's degree in Business Administration and regularly teaches a software management class on lean principles at the University of California Berkeley.
Cycle time is a key metric
Use Cumulative Flow Diagrams
Importance of measuring throughput
Use Cumulative Flow Diagrams
Importance of measuring throughput
Daniel S. Vacanti
Actionable Agile Metrics for Predictability
An Introduction
Product design, Analytics and Metrics