Cycle Time
Lead Time vs Cycle Time: Understanding the Difference and Why Both Matter
Software engineering leaders and developers alike are continuously seeking ways to optimize workflow, accelerate delivery, and improve product quality. Two key metrics often surface in these discussions: lead time and cycle time. While often used interchangeably, they provide distinct insights that are critical for effective engineering team management, reporting, and strategy. Understanding the difference between lead time and cycle time—and knowing how to leverage both—enables organizations to assess and improve their end-to-end software development process.
The Complete Guide to Developer Productivity Metrics in 2025
Introduction
Measuring developer productivity has never been more critical—or more controversial.
In 2025, engineering leaders face unprecedented pressure to demonstrate ROI while developers push back against surveillance-style metrics that reduce their craft to lines of code. The AI coding revolution has further complicated the conversation, with teams trying to understand whether these tools actually make developers more productive or just busier.
The truth is: you can’t improve what you don’t measure. But you also can’t measure what you don’t understand.