What is thumb rule for cycle time and lead time

Question

Accepted Answer

Cycle time is the time taken to complete a task, while lead time is the total time taken from request to completion.

Cycle time is the time it takes to finish a task from start to end.
Lead time is the total time taken from the request for a task to its completion.
A general rule of thumb is that cycle time should be shorter than lead time for efficient processes.
For example, if the cycle time for manufacturing a product is 2 hours, but the lead time from order to delivery is 5 days, there may be inefficiencies in the process.