Guide: Understanding and Answering Questions on Cycle Time

Cycle Time is an essential performance metric in Scrum. It measures the time it takes from when work begins on a product backlog item until the work is completed.

Importance: Understanding cycle time helps teams accurately predict their delivery rate and improve their processes. It's crucial for the planning and scheduling of tasks giving teams insight into their capacity and productivity. Shorter cycle times typically indicate a more effective workflow.

How It Works: Cycle time starts when work commences on a task and ends when the task is ready for delivery. It includes only working time, not the time when the task was paused or waiting. It is typically measured in working days.

Answering exam questions: When answering questions about cycle time, remember to distinguish it from lead time, which includes the time the task was sitting in the backlog. Always consider the context of the question and use accurate terminology.

Exam Tips for Cycle Time:

• Understand the difference between cycle time and lead time.
• Know that a shorter cycle time usually indicates a more efficient team.
• Be aware that cycle time is a part of the control phase of DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control).
• Recognize that cycle time can be used to estimate future project timelines.