A Lead Time Distribution Report can be used to assess average lead time, lead time per task or work item, and trends in lead time. Average lead time is the mean of the lead times associated with a work item or task under consideration. Lead time per task or work item refers to the total time taken from when a request for a work item (or order) is received until it is delivered. Trends in lead time refer to recurring patterns for a work item or task that the team can identify. Lead time is a key metric that can be viewed from either the customer’s or the team’s perspective. From the customer's perspective, lead time is referred to as customer lead time—the duration the customer waits from placing an order to receiving it. From the team’s perspective, lead time is referred to as system lead time—the duration an order, request, or work item stays in the system, from the time it enters until it leaves the system.
The Lead Time Distribution Report can be visually represented by a histogram that captures average lead time, providing insights into the nature of lead times in workflows or processes under review within an organization. This helps evolve a fit-for-purpose or customer-focused approach, as it allows teams to focus on variations in lead times rather than just a single lead time value. In a typical histogram, the number of hours or days from when a work item gets committed to when it is completed is plotted on the x-axis, while the count of work items is plotted on the y-axis. By using histograms to analyze lead times, teams can commit to stakeholders based on the most frequently occurring lead times for the work items under consideration.