easyMultiple Choice
PK0-005 Practice Question: A project manager is using a Kanban board to…
A project manager is using a Kanban board to visualize workflow. Which metric should the team track to measure process efficiency?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between lead time and cycle time, trapping candidates who confuse total elapsed time (lead time) with active processing time (cycle time) in Kanban workflow efficiency questions.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Cycle time
Cycle time measures the time it takes to complete a single work item once it enters the active workflow, directly reflecting process efficiency on a Kanban board. Unlike lead time, which includes waiting time before work starts, cycle time focuses on the actual processing duration, making it the key metric for identifying bottlenecks and improving flow.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Lead time
Why it's wrong here
Lead time measures elapsed duration from request to delivery, capturing cycle duration rather than flow efficiency. It is tempting because shorter lead times often accompany smoother flow; it would be the correct metric when the goal is forecasting delivery dates or reducing customer wait, not measuring how efficiently work moves through the board.
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Throughput
Why it's wrong here
Throughput counts items completed per unit time, measuring output volume rather than the ratio of active work to waiting time. It is tempting because higher throughput suggests a healthier flow; it would be the correct metric when assessing delivery rate or capacity, not process efficiency, which flow efficiency captures.
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Velocity
Why it's wrong here
Velocity counts story points completed per iteration, a Scrum planning metric that presupposes fixed-length sprints and estimated backlog items. It is tempting because it also tracks completed work; it would be correct for forecasting sprint capacity in Scrum, not for measuring Kanban process efficiency, which uses flow-based metrics.
- ✓
Cycle time
Why this is correct
Cycle time measures the elapsed duration from when work starts to when it finishes, revealing how efficiently items flow through the Kanban system. Tracking it exposes bottlenecks and delays, making it the metric that reflects process efficiency rather than throughput alone.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PK0-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PK0-005 exam.