Which term describes the time taken from the start of a process to the delivery of its output?

The term that best describes the time taken from the start of a process to the delivery of its output is Lead Time. Lead Time encompasses all the activities involved in the process from initiation to completion, including any delays that may occur between the various stages.

Lead Time is crucial in many business contexts, particularly in supply chain and project management, as it gives a comprehensive view of how long it will take before a product or service is delivered to the customer. It accounts for not just the actual processing time, but also any waiting times, delays in approval, and other factors that might elongate the time frame.

While Cycle Time, Delivery Time, and Processing Time also relate to time in different ways, they have more limited definitions. Cycle Time typically refers to the time taken to complete one full cycle of a process or the time it takes to produce a single unit from start to finish, excluding any waiting or idle time in the process. Delivery Time often refers specifically to the period from when an order is placed until it is received, but it may not encapsulate all steps in the production or service process. Processing Time refers to the duration taken to perform the actual work on the output, excluding other times such as waiting or queue times.

Thus, Lead