lead time
LEED-tym
/ˈliːd taɪm/
The time between the initiation and completion of a production process.
It includes not just manufacturing time, but also the time spent waiting, transporting, and processing orders.
The story behind the word. A straightforward compound. The 'lead' refers to the amount of time that must 'precede' or 'lead into' the final delivery.
Word relationships
- latency: Latency is often used in computing for the delay before data transfer; lead time is used for physical goods.
- turnaround time: Turnaround time often refers to the time to complete a task once it has started; lead time includes the wait before it starts.
- instantaneity: Instantaneity is the quality of happening immediately, the opposite of having a lead time.
Commonly confused with
- cycle time: Cycle time is how long it takes to make one unit; lead time is how long the customer waits for that unit.
Word family
- lead times (noun): Plural form of the duration.
Collocations
- reduce lead time
- long lead time
- manufacturing lead time
- order lead time
Example sentences
- "All we are doing is looking at the time line, from the moment the customer gives us an order to the point when we collect the cash. And we are reducing that lead time..." The philosophy of the Toyota Production System. (Taiichi Ohno, Toyota Production System)
- "The lead time for the handmade sofa is twelve weeks because the fabric is imported from Italy." Ordering custom furniture.
Memory hook
The time that 'leads' up to the product arriving. The wait for the weight.
When not to use
Don't use it for the duration of a single event (like a movie); use it for the 'gap' between order and delivery.
Fun facts
- In the fashion industry, lead times can be as long as 18 months from design to shelf, though 'fast fashion' has cut this to weeks.
Related words
Explore more words
workflow, production, interval, hiatus, latency, supply chain
Also appears in
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