Cumulative Flow Diagrams (CFDs)

Tool Flow

Numbers in a spreadsheet don't reveal flow problems. A cumulative flow diagram makes WIP buildup, bottlenecks, and throughput trends visible at a glance.

Overview

Visualize workflow health with a cumulative flow diagram. Define workflow states, enter period snapshots, and analyze arrival rate, throughput, WIP, lead time, and cycle time using Little’s Law.

Explore interactive examples

Healthy Flow

Steady pull, consistent WIP, thin queues, linear Done growth

Review Bottleneck

Devs produce faster than reviewers consume — Ready for Review grows fat

Multitasking in Dev

Too many items started at once — In Development dominates, downstream starves

Starving Pipeline

Not enough work entering — low utilization, thin bands everywhere

Big Batch Handoffs

Work moves in lumps, not flow — queues spike and drain in waves

Fast Cycle Time

Lean pipeline with tight WIP — In Development to Done in ~5.5 days