What is a CFD?
Stands for Cumulative Flow Diagram.
Definition
A Cumulative Flow Diagram (CFD) is a visual tool used in Kanban to track the performance of a system or team, showing the flow of work items through different stages over time.
Purpose
It provides insights into the stability and efficiency of the workflow, highlighting areas for improvement and helping to identify bottlenecks.
Elements
The diagram consists of bands that represent different stages of the workflow, with the width of each band indicating the number of work items in that stage at any given time.
CFD Analysis
Trends in the CFD can be analyzed to understand delivery time, cycle time, work in process (WIP), and to identify irregularities or performance issues.
Axes
The horizontal axis represents time, showing the progression of work items through the workflow while the vertical axis measures the quantity of work items, typically representing the WIP at each stage.
Lead Time
The CFD can be used to analyze Lead Time, which is the time it takes for a work item to move from start to finish.
Cycle Time
It also helps to understand Cycle Time, which is the time it takes to complete a single iteration of a work item.