How Do Service Level Expectation and Days Item Aging Make Your Processes More Predictable?

Predictability: A quality that every business process craves. The dream of knowing what’s around the corner, of having a clear view of what’s coming next, is alluring. 

It can turn your business from a chaos-fueled rollercoaster to a smooth sailing yacht. Enter Service Level Expectation (SLE) and the intriguing concept of days item aging. These two metrics might be the secret ingredients to adding a dash of predictability to your workflows. 

So, let’s explore the world of SLE, days item aging, and how they can transform the predictability of your business processes. 

What Is Service Level Expectation (SLE)?

In simple terms, SLE is a statement based on historical team data that you use to communicate time frames in which work items will be done.  It’s like promising your friend you’ll meet them in 10 minutes. You’ve set an expectation, and not meeting it might lead to disappointment.

Picture this: You’re in a hot new restaurant, eagerly awaiting your order. You’re hungry and excited, and your expectations are soaring. But as the clock ticks away, your excitement turns to impatience. The longer you wait, the more your expectations deflate. 

Customers possess similar expectations for business processes. SLE is your golden ticket to managing these expectations effectively. 

The SLE and Its Impact on Predictability

Imagine you’re a Project Manager or Scrum Master with a Kanban board showing in-process work items. The team is tracking work items, each with its own SLE, and is determined to hit those targets. As work items flow through the workflow, each day, the team counts the number of days that have elapsed since it started and compares it to Service Level Expectation to help make decisions on what items to focus on next.

By using SLEs effectively, you create a rhythm in your workflow. You’re not just managing work items but setting a pace everyone can follow. This consistency boosts predictability. Like your morning coffee ritual, your team knows what to expect, and that’s the heart of predictability.

What Is Days Item Aging? 

Days item aging is like giving your business processes a magnifying glass. You’re no longer just glancing at work items but examining how long they’ve been sitting around, gathering dust.

Days item aging is simply the age of a work item since it started. Think of it as a virtual birthday for each work item. When you start tracking this metric, you gain insights into how efficiently work moves through your workflow. If work is piling up, it’s a red flag that there’s room for improvement.

Combining SLE and Days Item Aging for Better Process Management

You’ve met SLE and made friends with days item aging. But together, they’re a dynamic duo that can take your process from chaotic to choreographed. They provide a benchmark for what’s probable within a given timeframe. 

Remember, however, that your expectations need to be grounded in reality. Not meeting expectations is a quick way to erode trust. 

Strike a balance between ambition and realism. When you set challenging and attainable expectations, you’re setting the stage for predictability. Remember, predictability thrives when expectations are consistently met.

Here’s how. 

Set Realistic Expectations

Use SLEs to set time-bound expectations. Be honest; promising the moon might not end well. Remember, predictability comes from meeting expectations consistently.

Monitor the Aging Process

Keep an eye on days item aging. If work items are aging like fine wine, it’s time to uncork the bottlenecks. This metric highlights possible inefficiencies, guiding your efforts to optimize the process.

Continuous Improvement

With SLEs and days item aging in your arsenal, you’re not navigating blindly. You’re cruising with a dashboard of insights. Adjust your processes based on data, turning hunches into calculated moves. As you fine-tune your processes, you’re turning educated guesses into calculated moves. Your business agility gets a boost, and so does your predictability.

Embrace Flexibility Without Losing Control

Predictability is about striking the right balance between structure and flexibility. SLEs and days item aging help you find that rhythm.

When a high-priority work item lands on your plate out of the blue, you can use SLEs to decide if it’s feasible within the existing timeline. And by monitoring days item aging, you can make educated decisions to shuffle work to accommodate the unexpected without causing a domino effect.

The Sweet Taste of Predictability in Business

Ah, predictability. The holy grail of business processes. But why is it so coveted? Being able to tell your stakeholders when an effort will be completed and actually hitting that mark is an alluring concept. It also inspires trust that can be the cornerstone of a successful, thriving business. 

Predictability saves time, resources, and sanity. Your team no longer fights fires; they walk down a well-lit path. Stakeholders have faith in your promises, and your business gains a reputation for consistency.

Embrace the Predictability Revolution 

How do your customers and leadership feel about your team’s current predictability?  Currently, when most teams are asked when it will be done.  The answer is likely by a date, and the answer is often wrong.  On several occasions over the past 20 years, I have had clients ask me why they should trust me when their technology people have continued to disappoint them time and time again.   

The answer is less about trusting me personally and learning to trust the data.  The data we will use feeds our Service Level Expectations, and the number of days a work item has in progress combined with the three core Kanban practices (visualize workflow, limit wip, and Manage flow) will show marked improvement in the predictability of our team. 

Predictability is a necessary component of doing business. The marriage of SLE and days item aging can transform your processes into well-oiled machines capable of delivering positive outcomes time and time again. 

Learn How to Elevate Your Process with a ProKanban.org Certification

At Agile-ity, we’re all about bringing practical agility to your business. Whether you’re new to Kanban or a certified Scrum aficionado, these principles can add a touch of magic to your processes. Let’s discuss how we can guide you toward a more predictable and efficient future. Reach out today for the first step toward a smoother, more efficient journey.