Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) Release Train Engineer Practice Test

Which value is used when calculating flow efficiency?

1. Flow time

2. Flow load

3. Flow velocity

4. Flow distribution

The correct answer is: Flow time

Flow efficiency is a measure that helps organizations assess how effectively they are converting their work into completed value, often expressed as a percentage. To calculate flow efficiency, you use flow time. Flow time refers to the total time that it takes for a work item to move through the system from start to finish, including any wait times in between. By measuring flow time, you can understand where bottlenecks or delays may be occurring in the process. The formula to calculate flow efficiency typically involves comparing the value-added time (active work time) to the total flow time. A higher flow efficiency indicates that more of the total available time is being spent on productive work rather than waiting or being idle. In the context of the other options, while flow load refers to the amount of work in the system, flow velocity measures the rate at which work items are completed, and flow distribution looks at how work is spread across different stages or team members, none of these directly contribute to the calculation of flow efficiency. Instead, they are supportive metrics that can provide insights into process performance, but it is flow time that is essential for calculating the efficiency itself.