Cycle Time Scatter Plot for software engineering teams

 Are you familiar with the use of a Cycle Time Scatter Plot by software engineering teams?

Yes, a Cycle Time Scatter Plot is a tool used by software engineering teams, especially those practicing Agile or Lean methodologies. It is used to visualize the time it takes to complete work items, such as features, user stories, or bug fixes, from start to finish.

Here’s an overview of how a Cycle Time Scatter Plot works and how it can be useful for software engineering teams:

### Understanding Cycle Time Scatter Plots

A Cycle Time Scatter Plot is a graphical representation where each work item is plotted as a single point on the chart.

- **X-axis**: Represents the time period, such as days, weeks, or sprints.

- **Y-axis**: Represents the cycle time for each work item, typically measured in days.

Each point on the plot corresponds to a work item, with its position determined by the day it was completed (x-coordinate) and how long it took to complete (y-coordinate).

### Benefits of Using a Cycle Time Scatter Plot

- **Identify Patterns**: Teams can identify patterns and trends in how long it takes to complete work. For instance, they might spot that certain types of tasks take longer or that cycle times are increasing over time.

- **Spot Anomalies**: Outliers are easily spotted on a scatter plot. These might be items that took an unusually long time to complete, indicating a problem or a complexity that was underestimated.

- **Predictability**: Over time, a scatter plot can help a team predict how long future work items will take based on historical data.

- **Process Improvement**: By examining the scatter and range of cycle times, teams can identify opportunities for process improvements to reduce variability and improve throughput.

### Using the Cycle Time Scatter Plot

- **Track Completion**: As work items are completed, they are added to the scatter plot.

- **Trend Analysis**: Drawing a trend line through the data points can help understand the central tendency of cycle times. This could be a simple average or a more complex statistical measure like a moving average or a percentile line.

- **Process Policies**: Teams may define new policies or adjust existing ones based on insights from the plot. For example, if items with higher complexity have significantly longer cycle times, they might decide to break down work items into smaller, more manageable pieces.

### Considerations

- **Data Integrity**: For the plot to be meaningful, data must be accurately and consistently recorded.

- **Contextual Understanding**: The plot doesn’t explain why items take as long as they do; it just shows the when and how long. Teams need to discuss the reasons behind the data points to gain actionable insights.

- **Complementary Tools**: A scatter plot is often used in conjunction with other tools like Cumulative Flow Diagrams (CFDs) or Control Charts to provide a more comprehensive view of the process and its performance.

In summary, Cycle Time Scatter Plots can be a valuable tool for software engineering teams to visualize and analyze the flow of their work. They help teams to manage their process more effectively, improve forecasting, and ultimately deliver more predictable results.