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How to calculate Throughput (Little's law)

The Throughput (Little's law) formula, with plain worked examples you can check yourself.

Throughput (Little's law) = WIP ÷ CT

Worked examples

WIP = 10 · CT = 5Throughput (Little's law) = 2
WIP = 50 · CT = 5Throughput (Little's law) = 10
WIP = 12 · CT = 4Throughput (Little's law) = 3

How to use it

  1. Write down the values for each letter in the formula.
  2. Do the brackets first, then divide or multiply.
  3. Check the units before you compare results.
  4. Compare the answer with last period or with a competitor to see if it is good or bad.

This formula belongs to Operations.

Related terms

BottleneckOutsourcingEconomies of scaleLean manufacturingCapacity planningStandard operating procedure

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