Analyze process delays without inventing causes

Timestamped records can show where work waits, but they do not establish why. Separate measured intervals from hypotheses about the process.

Bound the operating task

Provide the relevant records and define what is a draft recommendation versus an approved action. Keep original records intact and ask for an output manifest so you can find the result. Start with file generation and human review before adding any external action through a connected tool. A useful operations deliverable should make exceptions and missing information visible.

Inputs for this workflow: A process log with item IDs and stage timestamps.

Work through the task

1. Validate timestamp order and missing values.
2. Calculate defined intervals and flag exceptions.

A brief you can adapt

Write delay-analysis.md with stage definitions, observed intervals, excluded records and hypotheses for follow-up. Do not blame people based on duration alone.

The filenames above are examples. Replace them with your actual inputs and destination before submitting the task.

Review the deliverable

Manually recompute a few intervals and inspect records with missing or reversed timestamps.

Where this approach can fail

A long interval may include planned waiting or calendar effects, not just inefficiency.

For the related desktop setup, see review results.