There are various metrics that are used to keep track of the performance of the engineering team that is engaged in the software development of an organization. Among these metrics, cycle time is one of the most important aspects that can describe a lot about the way a company is working. It explains very well how the team members and other developers are performing, what is their efficacy and what changes need to be taken in the future.
What is cycle time?
Cycle time in software development means the time taken to finish a task from beginning to end. It is the time from the first commit of an engineer to production release.
How is cycle time calculated?
To calculate cycle time, one needs to take into consideration the time taken to complete one cycle of a particular task. The general formula to calculate cycle time is that you divide the total production time by the total number of cycles.
Importance of cycle time in software development
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Calculating cycle time can help to perform better than the competition and also improvise according to the need.
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It is also used as an indicator of a successful business.
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Not just this, cycle time also provides important information about the efficiency of the developing team which allows them to make prudent and informed decisions.
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The development team with the help of cycle time can also analyze the time taken to complete a specific task.
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With the help of this analysis, resources can be used in a better way and proper estimates can be made regarding delivery.
How to reduce high cycle time in software development?
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Address the issue of large PR size: The leaders of the team can initiate a conversation to discuss various issues such as breaking down the PR (pull-request) sizes. Such leaders can also make sure that PR size does not increase too much.
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Inclusive work: The leaders of a team should also ensure that wherever required the junior engineers are included for various tasks, adequately trained and given the right tools and equipment so that they too can add value to the team. There should be a proper balance of junior and senior staff so that a proper work environment is created.
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Better workflows: For the smooth functioning of an organization’s software development programs, the manager should provide the team with the right tools, be part of the various processes and issues, communicate with the team and create an environment ideal enough to promote a better learning experience.
