Cycle time is how long a piece of work takes from the moment someone starts it to the moment it is finished.
Cycle time measures the part of the process the team controls. Shorter, more predictable cycle times mean faster feedback and more reliable forecasts.
Cycle time vs lead time
Lead time starts when the request is made, cycle time when work begins. The gap between them is time spent waiting in the backlog.
How to reduce it
- Keep items small.
- Limit work in progress with a WIP limit.
- Remove waiting stages such as long review queues.