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Cycle Time ​

Definition: Cycle Time measures the duration from the first commit on a feature branch to its deployment in production. It represents the speed at which the engineering team can deliver a piece of work once it has started.

Why It Matters ​

Cycle Time is a powerful indicator of overall engineering efficiency and process health.

  • Measures Process Velocity: It directly reflects how quickly your team can turn ideas into production-ready code. Shorter cycle times mean faster delivery of value.

  • Highlights Bottlenecks: A long or erratic Cycle Time often points to hidden constraints in your workflow, such as slow code reviews, inefficient testing, or manual deployment processes.

  • Improves Predictability: Teams with stable and short Cycle Times are more predictable, making it easier to forecast project timelines and manage stakeholder expectations.

How to Measure It ​

Cycle Time is calculated as the total time elapsed between two key events:

Cycle Time = Time(Production Release) - Time(First Commit on Branch)

It can be broken down into sub-stages for more granular analysis:

  • Coding Time: From first commit to PR creation.

  • Pickup Time: From PR creation to the start of the review process.

  • Review Time: From the start of the review to PR approval.

  • Deploy Time: From PR merge to production release.

Interpretation & Benchmarks ​

  • Goal: The primary goal is to achieve a short and stable Cycle Time.

  • Trends are Key: Focus on the trend over time rather than absolute numbers. A consistently decreasing trend is a sign of successful process improvements.

  • Industry Benchmarks (DORA):

    • Elite: Less than 24 hours.

    • High: Between one day and one week.

    • Medium: Between one week and one month.

    • Low: More than one month.