A Throughput Report can be used to assess the capacity or productivity of a team or system by measuring the number of work items or tasks completed over a specific time period (e.g., daily, weekly, bi-weekly). Some of the metrics related to throughput include average throughput, trends in throughput, and variability in throughput. Average throughput is the average number of work items or tasks completed over a specified duration.
Trends in throughput are patterns or changes in throughput over a specified time period. Variability in throughput refers to variations in the number of tasks completed over a specified duration. High throughput indicates high productivity or capacity.
Throughput can be visually represented using a run chart or a summary table. A simple summary table captures information on the number of work items completed by a team over a specified time period. It may optionally contain information on categories of work items if a more detailed analysis is needed.
When using a run chart to display throughput, the x-axis represents the timeline, and the y-axis represents throughput. The bars indicate the type of work item or task being examined. This will help decipher patterns or trends in throughput, allowing teams to assess the causes of those trends and determine the next course of action.
Figures 4-12 and 4-13 depict a typical Throughput Report:
Figure 4.12: Throughput Report (Source: Vabro)
Figure 4-12 above displays a dashboard in Vabro, showcasing a "Throughput Report" with a bar chart visualizing task completion rate across five teams over five weeks. It tracks task progress, highlighting completion rates and potential bottlenecks, aiding in data-driven decision-making for workflow optimization.
Figure 4.13: Sample Throughput Report (Source: Jira)
Figure 4-13 above depicts a Jira Kanban Velocity/Throughput chart, illustrating the amount of work completed over successive time intervals, with bars showing completed story points and an orange line tracking the average velocity. The chart shows a current average velocity of 24, calculated from the last three intervals, suggesting a trend of increasing productivity over time.