Measure the Time Saved

Net operational minutes saved = baseline minutes per run x completed runs, minus total review minutes, minus total correction minutes, minus total maintenance minutes. Record setup time separately. If review and fixing eat the gain, say so and adjust.

Worked Example (Made-Up Numbers)

Dana's status email takes 25 minutes by hand. With the workflow she spends 6 minutes reviewing and editing per run. Over 4 runs in a month: 25 x 4 = 100 minutes baseline, minus 24 review and correction minutes, minus 0 maintenance in this simple month = 76 net minutes. Four runs a month is an assumption she states up front. Five similar tasks at the same numbers would give 5 x 76 = 380 minutes, about six hours and twenty minutes a month.

Time Log (Copy This)

• Date | Runs completed | Total review minutes | Total correction minutes | Total maintenance minutes | Baseline minutes per run
• Review and correction minutes don't overlap: count each minute once.
• Record setup time in a separate line.

Common Mistakes

• Counting only the model's time, not your review time.
• Not recording the by-hand baseline first.
• Counting the same minutes as both review and correction.

Exercise

Record your baseline today and keep the log for two weeks.