I expect that cycle time will be at the top of my list. But… “cycle time from requirement to something that satisfies that requirement”. Something that’s sellable.

The problem is that we still have some trouble getting to something that satisfies the customer, no matter how long we take. Most people tend towards the “common sense” solution of large batches and local efficiency. Because, you know, “better quality takes longer and costs more”

As I say in my presentation comparing Lean to Agile Software development:

“Lean is about flow.
Agile is about flow.
Cash flow.

Next time you talk to your CFO or CEO, don’t talk about “agility”, responding to change, quality. Tell them what you’re doing to reduce the time between the customer’s need and you fulfilling that need. Tell them how you reduce the time between the customer’s need and the moment they pay you.”

That cash flow bit is straight out of the “Rebirth of American Industry”

If that doesn’t get their attention, I don’t know what will…

When you get done thinking, odds are you’ll come to the conclusion that most significant metric is cycle time. Taichi Ohno of Toyota described their system as follows:

“All we are doing is looking at the time line from when we receive the order until we collect the cash. And we are eliminating the non-value adding waste along the time line.”

I’ll betcha your more Goldratt-esque approach will ultimately take you to the same place.