Throughput

Throughput is the rate at which a business converts inputs into delivered, paid work. In a system of stages running in series, throughput equals the capacity of the narrowest stage, never the average.

Averaging across stages is the most common analytical error agency owners make. Four stages at 90% capacity and one at 30% gives you 30% throughput, not 78%.

This is why diagnosis precedes improvement. Effort spent anywhere but the narrowest stage changes nothing you can invoice.