Kanban Metrics: Lead Time, Cycle Time, and Throughput

Essential Kanban Metrics

Measuring your Kanban system is critical for continuous improvement. Three metrics form the foundation of Kanban analytics.

1. Lead Time

Lead time is the total elapsed time from when a work item is requested to when it is delivered.

Lead Time = Delivery Date - Request Date

If a customer requests a feature on Monday and it ships on Friday, the lead time is 5 days. Lead time includes all waiting time, not just active work.

2. Cycle Time

Cycle time is the elapsed time from when work actually starts on an item to when it is completed.

Cycle Time = Completion Date - Start Date

Cycle time is always less than or equal to lead time. The gap between them represents queue time -- how long items wait before someone picks them up.

3. Throughput

Throughput is the number of items completed per unit of time.

Throughput = Items Completed / Time Period

For example, if your team completes 12 cards in a two-week period, throughput is 6 cards per week.

Using Metrics Together

These three metrics are related by Little's Law:

WIP = Throughput x Cycle Time

This means that to reduce cycle time (deliver faster), you can either increase throughput (unlikely without adding people) or reduce WIP (the Kanban approach).

Actionable Insights

• Rising cycle time -- Look for bottleneck columns. Where are cards piling up?
• Inconsistent throughput -- Check for blockers, interruptions, or context switching.
• Large gap between lead time and cycle time -- Items are waiting too long to be started. Reduce the backlog or improve prioritization.