Cycle Time Histogram for ZenHub
Evaluate your cycle time distribution. Produce accurate delivery forecasts. Observe your delivery performance.
Evaluate your cycle time distribution. Produce accurate delivery forecasts. Observe your delivery performance.
The Cycle Time Histogram for ZenHub shows the frequency distribution of the completion times of the issues in your workflow. The vertical axis displays a frequency, and your cycle times are plotted on the horizontal axis. By analyzing the frequency distribution of your cycle times, you can assess the level of variability in your process.
A Cycle Time Histogram with a big hump on the left and a very long tail to the right illustrates cycle times with a high level of variability. This is a key indicator of an inconsistent process. To work towards more dependable delivery times, consider establishing a WIP-limited pull system.
The Cycle Time Histogram for ZenHub uses past cycle time data to forecast your future delivery times. The percentile lines show the likelihood of a task being completed within a certain cycle time. The higher the percentile lines, the more likely it is that you can deliver your work on time.
Use the percentile lines to define your service level agreements. Discuss the different levels of confidence with your clients and stakeholders, in order to create your SLAs using their optimum comfort level as a basis. We would suggest that you begin by using the 85th percentile line.
Your average cycle time is an indicator of your performance. With the Cycle Time Histogram for ZenHub, you can see your mean, median and mode average cycle times, alongside the way their trends build over time. Ideally, the lines should stay close together, while either remaining at an even rate or steadily dropping.
Select your average and observe its line profile! If the line rises, this indicates that your team needs more time, on average, to finish their issues. In this case, we would recommend to either reevaluate your WIP limits, or alter your process policies. This is the key to establishing a faster delivery workflow.