Unlocking Efficiency: The 3 Flow Metrics Every Enterprise Leader Should Know - A Key Focus at SAFe® Summit!
Isos Technology
Isos Technology helps organizations become the best version of themselves through technology, people, and practices.
Flow metrics are becoming increasingly popular among businesses, especially those that follow Agile and Lean principles. Some companies are on board with these metrics and actively keep an eye on them, but there are still plenty of businesses out there not taking full advantage of what flow metrics have to offer. You might be wondering, "What the heck are flow metrics, and how can I use them to my advantage?" Well don't worry, that's exactly what we're going to tackle in this article. We'll define flow metrics, then we'll break down three flow metrics that can help you boost efficiency and get things running smoothly in your organization. Let's dive in and get those insights flowing!
At a high level, flow metrics are a way of measuring how value is being developed and delivered to clients. They are designed to measure the flow of work related to software development, like how long it takes, if there are bottlenecks, how the work is distributed across teams, and how much work a team can realistically get done within any given sprint. Companies can use flow metrics to make sure that they are connecting the dots between business strategy, practices, and outcomes.
1. Cycle Time
This metric is like the stopwatch for your work items. It measures the time it takes for a task or project to go from start to finish. By keeping an eye on cycle time, you can get a good sense of how efficiently your team is working. If the cycle time is too long, it might mean there are some roadblocks or delays slowing things down. By identifying these bottlenecks, you can take action to speed up the process and get things moving faster.
Insight
Cycle time gives you a clear picture of how long it takes to get stuff done. It helps you identify areas where things are getting stuck and figure out ways to streamline the workflow. By reducing cycle time, you can improve productivity and get more tasks completed in less time. Cycle Time can help answer the following questions:
How long does it take for work items to move through our process?
Are there any bottlenecks or delays in our workflow?
How predictable are our delivery times?
Are there any seasonal or cyclical patterns in our workflow?
How effective are our process improvements?
What is the impact of changes in team composition or workflow adjustments?
Jira Software How To
Jira's Control Chart is a handy solution that comes built-in with Jira to help you assess and analyze the overall Cycle Time and Lead Time. Whether it's a sprint, a specific product version, or any other unit you define, this tool allows you to gather and evaluate the data quickly.
You can easily access the Control Chart by navigating to the Reports tab in Jira. Once you're there, you'll notice that the X-axis represents calendar dates, while the Y-axis represents the elapsed time in days. With the Jira Chart, you have the ability to:
Select a specific point, whether it's an issue or a cluster of issues, and get average data for it. This allows you to zoom in and focus on specific areas of interest.
Analyze and examine a chosen period within a particular project. This way, you can narrow down your analysis and get insights for specific timeframes.
Modify and adjust the analysis period as per your requirements. Flexibility is key, and the Control Chart allows you to adapt the timeframe to suit your needs.
Jira Align How To
Jira Align's Process Step Cycle Time report is the perfect report for generating views of the Value Stream. Value streams are the backbone of an organization's value delivery process, encompassing the steps involved in creating a continuous flow of value for customers. To gain insights into the efficiency of these process steps, the Process Step Cycle Time report comes to the rescue. This report presents three informative charts that provide statistics on work items as they flow through the value stream.
Simply select the desired value stream from the convenient drop-down menu located in the upper-left corner of the page. To narrow down the analysis, specify a date range in the corresponding fields. If you're working within a specific Program Increment (PI), the date range will automatically populate for you, making it even more convenient to explore the metrics.
The three charts in the Process Step Cycle Time report offer valuable insights into the flow of work items through your value stream. They allow you to track and analyze key metrics related to process steps, enabling you to make data-driven decisions and drive continuous improvement.
Move Your Teams Forward
Once you have the data and have generated insights, you can review them and decide what to do. Here are some ways you can help your teams grow:
Identify the bottlenecks: The first step is to identify the specific stages or activities in your workflow that are causing delays or contributing to the longer cycle time. Analyze the flow of work and pinpoint where work items tend to get stuck or take longer than expected.
Map the process: Visualize and map out your workflow from start to finish. This helps in visualizing the steps involved, dependencies, and handoffs between team members or departments. By having a clear overview of the process, you can identify areas where improvements can be made.
Eliminate waste: Look for opportunities to eliminate waste or non-value-adding activities in your process. This could involve reducing unnecessary handoffs, minimizing waiting times, streamlining approvals, or automating manual tasks. Identify any low-value activities that can be eliminated or optimized to make the workflow more efficient.
Track trends over time: tracking cycle time is not enough. Make sure you are tracking your cycle time trends. Are they increasing or decreasing? Cycle times naturally vary a bit across teams, programs, portfolios, and companies. Once you've eliminated waste and are happy with your cycle times, look at other metrics for additional insights.
Read about the other two flow metrics every enterprise leader should know here!