the total time from the beginning to the end of your process, as defined by you and your customer.
— DevOps for the Modern Enterprise, Mirco Hering
Cycle Time
5 of our books define this term — and their definitions are worth reading side by side.
The elapsed time it takes to complete a request from the time the work began to the time the work was delivered.
— Making Work Visible, Second Edition, Dominica Degrandis
The duration a stage requires for completion, including any inherent delays or waiting periods.
— Flow Engineering, Steve Pereira and Andrew Davis
Software development cycle time (from starting development to development done but not shipped)
— Sooner Safer Happier, in “Chapter 3: Optimization over One Way; Invite over Inflict”, Jonathan Smart
the time from when work begins until it is delivered
— How to Misuse & Abuse DORA Metrics, in the text
See also Little's Law · A3 · behavioral ninja move · Capacity Utilization · Conflicting Priorities · Constraint
Filed under Flow & Lean