Lead Time

The total elapsed time from when a customer request is received (or a backlog item is created) to when it is delivered to the customer. Lead time includes both wait time in the queue and active work time (cycle time). For teams using Kanban, lead time is the primary metric from the customer's perspective — it answers the question 'how long after I request something do I have it?' Reducing lead time typically requires reducing WIP limits, eliminating handoff delays, and improving the quality of incoming requests. Teams often track lead time alongside cycle time to understand how much of total delivery time is queue wait versus actual work.