How do you interpret the shape and variation of agile cycle time histogram?

1 What is a cycle time histogram?

A cycle time histogram is a type of bar chart that shows how many work items have a certain cycle time. The x-axis represents the cycle time in days, hours, or any other unit of time. The y-axis represents the number or percentage of work items that have that cycle time. For example, if you have 10 work items that have a cycle time of 3 days, and 5 work items that have a cycle time of 5 days, your cycle time histogram will have two bars: one with a height of 10 and a width of 3, and another with a height of 5 and a width of 5. A cycle time histogram can help you see the shape and variation of your cycle time data, and identify patterns and outliers.

2 How to create a cycle time histogram?

To create a cycle time histogram, you need to collect and organize your cycle time data. You can use a spreadsheet, a software tool, or a physical board to track your work items and their cycle times. You can also use different filters or categories to segment your data by type, priority, size, or any other relevant attribute. Once you have your data, you need to decide how to group your cycle times into bins or intervals. For example, you can group your cycle times into bins of 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, and so on. The size and number of your bins will affect the shape and resolution of your histogram. You can use a formula, a rule of thumb, or a trial and error method to determine the optimal bin size for your data. After you have your bins, you need to count how many work items fall into each bin, and plot them as bars on your histogram.

3 How to interpret the shape and variation of your cycle time histogram?

The shape and variation of your cycle time histogram can provide insight into your agile team's performance and process. A symmetrical and bell-shaped histogram suggests that your cycle times are normally distributed, with most of your work items having a similar cycle time and few outliers. This indicates a stable and consistent process, allowing for accurate predictions of cycle time. A skewed or asymmetrical histogram, on the other hand, implies that your cycle times are not normally distributed, with most of your work items having either a shorter or a longer cycle time and more outliers. This could be due to bottlenecks, dependencies, interruptions, or quality issues in your workflow. A bimodal or multimodal histogram indicates that your cycle times have two or more peaks, meaning that there are two or more distinct groups of work items with different cycle times. This suggests a heterogeneous and complex process, requiring segmentation of data by different factors or criteria.

4 How to use your cycle time histogram to improve your agile process?

Your cycle time histogram is not only a descriptive tool, but also a prescriptive tool. It can help you identify areas of improvement and opportunities for optimization in your agile process. For example, if your histogram is skewed or asymmetrical, you can reduce the variation and outliers in your cycle time by eliminating or minimizing the sources of waste, delay, or variation in your workflow. Techniques such as value stream mapping, root cause analysis, or the five whys can be used to identify and address the root causes of your cycle time variation. If your histogram is bimodal or multimodal, you can segment your work items by different factors or criteria, and create separate histograms for each segment. This can help you understand the characteristics and behaviors of each segment, and tailor your process accordingly. Techniques such as user stories, personas, or story mapping can be used to define and prioritize your work items by different attributes or dimensions. If your histogram is symmetrical and bell-shaped, you can reduce the mean and standard deviation of your cycle time by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of your process. Techniques such as Kanban, Scrum, or Lean can be used to implement continuous improvement and feedback loops in your workflow.