---
title: "Cycle time and touch time"
description: "A way to find where a process wastes time and then speed it up safely."
canonical: https://tomsharman.com/bookshelf/the-algorithm/cycle-time-and-touch-time/
updated: 2026-11-03
---

# Cycle time and touch time

> A way to find where a process wastes time and then speed it up safely.

Jon McNeill's framework, from The Algorithm, pp. 17 to 94.

Framework 3 of 7 from [The Algorithm](https://tomsharman.com/bookshelf/the-algorithm/index.md) by Jon McNeill. Category: Systems and operations.

## The steps

1. **Start and stop the clock.** Measure from the customer's first hand-off to the final return, end to end.
2. **Measure touch time.** Record how long the product is actually being worked on; the gap to cycle time is the opportunity.
3. **Redesign before speeding up.** Simplify and optimise the new process first, since there is no point accelerating the old one.
4. **Accelerate and watch it break.** Push for 50 percent faster each week and fix whatever the speed exposes.

## Where it comes from

From chapter: Part I: Principles of the Algorithm, pp. 17–94

## The animation

24 seconds, 4:5, no sound.

- MP4: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/the-algorithm/cycle-time-and-touch-time.mp4
- MP4, dark: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/the-algorithm/cycle-time-and-touch-time-dark.mp4
- Still: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/the-algorithm/cycle-time-and-touch-time.png
- Still, dark: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/the-algorithm/cycle-time-and-touch-time-dark.png