Agile & Scrum delivery · Core
Lead time
Also called: delivery lead time, end-to-end time
ELI5
How long the customer waits from request to completion.
Used in conversation
“Lead time includes time before active work begins.”
Definition
The elapsed time from request or commitment to delivery.
Here “Lead time” means: The elapsed time from request or commitment to delivery.
Pitch context
You will see “Lead time” in product strategy decks, roadmaps, experiments and architecture reviews when the discussion reaches agile & scrum delivery.
Why it matters: In agile & scrum delivery, the definition can change ownership, capacity, process, cost or safety decisions.
Sources & evidence · 5
Direct term-level sources and supporting source families.
- Scrum Guides — The Scrum Guide — official current versionDirect source · primary · checked 2026-08-16
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Productivity programmeDirect source · primary · checked 2026-08-16
- National Institute of Standards and Technology — Computer Security Resource Center GlossarySupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16
- U.S. Acquisition.gov — Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 15 — Contracting by NegotiationSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16
- UK Government — Groceries Supply Code of PracticeSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16