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“How can I optimize my cycle time?”
It’s a question that frustrates manufacturing engineers and operations leaders alike—especially when production delays, missed targets, and hidden inefficiencies keep surfacing. While countless strategies promise to improve cycle time, most fall short if they ignore one critical issue: manual tracking.
In this blog we’ll discuss why you need to let go of manual tracking if you really want to optimize your cycle time.
Greg Whitt, Continuous Improvement Manager at MORryde
talks about the value of automating time studies.
Why Manual Tracking is Holding You Back
Spreadsheets, clipboards, and handwritten notes might seem sufficient for tracking cycle times—they’re familiar, they’re flexible, and they don’t cost much. But familiarity doesn’t mean efficiency.
Manual tracking methods create blind spots that get in the way of productivity and improvement. A recent study found that 94% of business spreadsheets contain critical errors, posing serious risks for operational mistakes and decision-making based on inaccurate data.
Without real-time data, manufacturers operate in the dark—struggling with data fragmentation, delayed feedback loops, and a lack of visibility into root causes of inefficiencies. The result? Inaccurate tracking of production speeds, missed early warning signs of delays, and inconsistent workflows that erode efficiency.
In fact, over 75% of employees spend up to three hours a day just entering data—hours that could be redirected to solving problems and optimizing processes. Instead of proactively managing issues, teams are forced into a reactive cycle, scrambling to fix disruptions after they’ve already impacted operations.
