Cycle Time measures the time an item takes from when work actually starts to when it's done. It's the most actionable flow metric because it surfaces queueing and coordination problems early.
What it measures
Active delivery duration only — not backlog wait time. The clock starts when the item enters an active workflow state and stops when it transitions to done.
How Leanmote calculates it
cycle_time = completed_at - in_progress_at
Measured against active states only. Backlog and "to do" time aren't included.
Reported as both median and P90. Mean alone is too sensitive to outliers.
Optionally split by size class (S, M, L) or story points to compare like-with-like.
How to interpret it
Median tells you the typical experience. Look here first.
P90 exposes the slow tail. The gap between median and P90 is your "stuck items" signal.
Rising cycle time without rising throughput is the textbook bottleneck pattern. Investigate where time is concentrated.
Falling cycle time and rising throughput is the goal — you're getting more efficient.
What to do about it
Reduce WIP. Less concurrent work means less context-switching and shorter waits.
Slice work smaller. Median cycle time falls fastest when stories shrink.
Set explicit work-in-progress limits per stage and enforce pull-based flow.
Investigate the slow tail. The handful of items at P90 often have a pattern — same reviewer, same project, same blocker.
Related metrics
Throughput
Work in Progress (WIP)
Waiting Time
Lead Time for Changes
Flow metrics overview