Flow Efficiency

Overview

Flow Efficiency is the ratio of active time to total time (active + waiting) for tasks that are completed within a specific period. This metric helps teams understand how efficiently they are converting effort into completed work and where delays are occurring in the process.

Calculation Approach

1. Include Only “Done” Tasks:
   • Flow efficiency is calculated based on tasks that were completed in the selected period.
   • Include the total active and waiting time for each task, even if the task started before the selected period.
2. Formula for Flow Efficiency:
   • Active Time: The total time a task spent being actively worked on.
   • Waiting Time: The total time a task spent waiting in idle states.

Why Use the Sum of Active and Waiting Times?

• Comprehensive View: By using the sum of active and waiting times, you get a full picture of the efficiency for all completed tasks in the period.
• Better Insights: Summing these values avoids distortions from individual task variations and focuses on the overall efficiency of the process.

Best Practices:

• Monitor Flow Efficiency Over Time: Track this metric across periods to ensure your team is improving at minimizing waiting time and maximizing the time spent actively working on tasks.
• Target Process Bottlenecks: Low flow efficiency often indicates excessive waiting times, so focus process improvements on reducing those delays.