Cycle Time Report

Detailed description of the Cycle Time report in Jira Metrics Plugin and its interpretation.

Overview

The Cycle Time report is a distribution histogram that displays task completion times. This report is ideal for general assessment of workflow durations and identifying different types of tasks.

Histogram Structure

[Image of Cycle Time histogram]

  • X-axis: Task completion time (in days, weeks, or months)
  • Y-axis: Number of tasks completed in the specified time

The graph also marks two key lines:

  • Blue line: 50th percentile (median). Shows the time in which half of all tasks are completed.
  • Red line: 95th percentile. Marks the time in which the vast majority of tasks are completed. Tasks to the right of this line are considered "tails" or anomalies and require separate analysis.

Interactive Elements

When hovering over a histogram bar, a tooltip appears with the following information:

  • Cycle Time: Completion time for this group of tasks
  • Tasks: Number of tasks in this group
  • Percentile: Percentage of tasks that are completed in this time or faster

[Image of hover tooltip]

Cycle Time Calculation

Cycle Time is calculated as the sum of time a task spent in all selected columns. It's important to note:

  1. The selection of columns in the "Select Columns" filter determines which tasks are included in the sample and what time is considered in calculations.
  2. You can select multiple columns, not necessarily sequential on the board.
  3. Time in the last column on the board (usually "Done") is not included in the total Cycle Time.
  4. The report considers all tasks for the selected period, regardless of their status (closed or not).

Impact of Filtering Mode

The filtering mode ("Activity" or "Columns") affects the set of displayed tasks:

  • Activity: Considers all tasks active in selected columns during the specified period.
  • Columns: Focuses on tasks that have passed through specified completion columns.

For more details on filtering modes, see the Filtering Modes section.

Additional Statistics

Below the histogram is a table with statistical indicators:

[Image of statistics table]

  • Total Tasks: Total number of tasks in the sample
  • Mean Time: Average task completion time
  • Percentiles: Calculated values for 50th, 75th, 80th, 85th, 90th, 95th, and 100th percentiles

Tabular Data Representation

The "Show Reports as Table" option allows you to display all tasks in a table format, where each row corresponds to a histogram bar. The table is sorted by Cycle Time from highest to lowest, which is convenient for analyzing tasks with the longest completion times.

Usage Recommendations

  1. Use quick filters for more precise analysis. For example:

    • To analyze only closed tasks: Resolution != Unresolved
    • To analyze tasks for a specific period: Resolved >= $Start_date AND Resolved < $End_date

  2. Pay attention to tasks falling into the "tail" of the distribution (after the 95th percentile). They may indicate process problems or require special attention.

  3. Regularly analyze changes in Cycle Time distribution to track the effectiveness of implemented improvements.

  4. Use the tabular representation when preparing for delivery process reviews, focusing on tasks with the longest completion times.