Cumulative Flow Diagram (CFD)

Definition

A cumulative flow diagram (CFD) is a visual representation of the progress of work items in a project over time, showing the total number of work items in different stages of the workflow. This tool is essential for monitoring the health of a project by providing insights into lead time, cycle time, and overall workflow efficiency, making it integral to practices like Kanban and agile metrics.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. A CFD visually displays how many tasks are in each stage of the workflow, helping teams quickly identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement.
2. The area under the CFD line represents the total amount of work done over time, enabling teams to track progress and forecast completion dates.
3. The diagram can highlight trends over time, such as increasing cycle times or a growing backlog, which can indicate issues that need addressing.
4. CFDs are effective in facilitating discussions during retrospective meetings, as they provide concrete data on team performance and workflow efficiency.
5. By analyzing a CFD, teams can improve their WIP limits and optimize their workflow processes based on historical performance data.

Review Questions

• How does a cumulative flow diagram contribute to understanding workflow efficiency within a Kanban system?
  • A cumulative flow diagram helps teams visualize the number of tasks at each stage of their workflow, making it easier to spot inefficiencies or bottlenecks. By observing the flow of tasks over time, teams can identify where work gets stuck and adjust their processes accordingly. This visibility is key to maintaining smooth operations and ensuring that work items move through the system efficiently.
• In what ways can cumulative flow diagrams assist teams in evaluating key performance indicators like lead time and cycle time?
  • Cumulative flow diagrams provide essential data for analyzing lead time and cycle time by showing how long tasks spend in each stage of the workflow. Teams can track these metrics over time to determine if their processes are improving or worsening. This analysis helps teams make informed decisions about process adjustments or changes needed to enhance performance and delivery speed.
• Evaluate how cumulative flow diagrams can be used to drive continuous improvement initiatives within agile teams.
  • Cumulative flow diagrams serve as a powerful tool for driving continuous improvement initiatives by offering clear insights into team performance trends and workflow dynamics. By regularly reviewing CFDs during retrospectives, teams can identify recurring issues that hinder progress, such as excessive WIP or prolonged cycle times. This data-driven approach enables teams to implement targeted changes to their processes, monitor the results over time, and foster a culture of ongoing refinement and adaptation.

Related terms

Lead Time: The total time taken from the moment a new task is created until it is completed, reflecting the overall responsiveness of the team.

Cycle Time: The time taken to complete a specific task once work begins, helping teams assess their efficiency in delivering tasks.

Work In Progress (WIP): The number of tasks that are currently being worked on, which is crucial for managing flow and limiting bottlenecks in the workflow.