Cycle Time (Lead Time For Changes)

Understanding Cycle Time

The Cycle Time metric is the sum of four metrics, each of these metrics corresponding to a stage in the software development process:

CODING - Time to Issue PR from First Commit. This metric corresponds to the coding time, and is the time elapsed from the first commit to creating a PR.
PICKUP - Time to First Review. This metric indicates how fast do reviewers pick up their peers' PRs for review, and is the time between when a PR is opened and the first time an engineer reviews that PR.
REVIEW - Time to Merge from First Review. This metric signifies how fast do submitters incorporate feedback from their peers in code review, and is the time from a PR's first review to that PR being merged.
DEPLOY - Time to Deploy from Merge. This metric is an indicator for how fast does code get deployed into production, and is the time between when a PR is merged to when it gets released into production.

What does each color indicate?

We've aggregated benchmark values from our platform for each stage of the cycle time. Green bars indicate leading values, yellow bars indicate average values, and red bars indicate below-average values.

For CODING:

Green: Less than 48 hours

Yellow: Between 48 and 72 hours

Red: More than 72 hours
For PICKUP:

Green: Less than 24 hours

Yellow: Between 24 and 72 hours

Red: More than 72 hours
For REVIEW:

Green: Less than 24 hours

Yellow: Between 24 and 72 hours

Red: More than 72 hours
For DEPLOY:

Green: Less than 10 hours

Yellow: Between 10 and 24 hours

Red: More than 24 hours

How to Use It?

Streamline Development Processes: Use Cycle Time data to identify and eliminate bottlenecks in the development pipeline, enhancing efficiency from coding to deployment.
Set Realistic Goals: Leverage historical Cycle Time data to establish achievable timelines for project deliverables, aligning expectations among team members and stakeholders.

Strategic Implementation of Cycle Time

Bottleneck Analysis: Break down the Cycle Time into stages to pinpoint where delays most frequently occur, such as lengthy code reviews, and adjust processes or resources accordingly.
Team Engagement: If Cycle Time is extended, it may be a signal to check in with the team to provide support, assess workload balance, or offer additional training to overcome challenges.
Performance Alignment: Clearly communicate Cycle Time targets to ensure all team members are aligned with expected delivery timelines, fostering a shared understanding and commitment to goals.

Considerations for Implementation

Comprehensive Monitoring: Regularly assess Cycle Time in conjunction with other performance metrics to gain a holistic view of development efficiency and team effectiveness.
Cultural Sensitivity: Implement Cycle Time tracking in a way that supports a culture of continuous improvement rather than one that pressures the team unduly.