Turnaround time (TAT) is the amount of time taken to complete a process or fulfill a request.
The concept thus overlaps with
lead time
A lead time is the latency between the initiation and completion of a process. For example, the lead time between the placement of an order and delivery of new cars by a given manufacturer might be between 2 weeks and 6 months, depending on vari ...
and can be contrasted with cycle time.
Meaning in computing
In computing, turnaround time is the total time taken between the submission of a program/process/thread/task (
Linux
Linux ( or ) is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged as a Linux distribution, whi ...
) for execution and the return of the complete output to the customer/user. It may vary for various programming languages depending on the developer of the software or the program. Turnaround time may simply deal with the total time it takes for a program to provide the required output to the user after the program is started.
Turnaround time is one of the
metrics used to evaluate an operating system's
scheduling algorithms.
In case of batch systems, turnaround time will include time taken in forming batches, batch execution and printing results.
With increasing
computer
A computer is a machine that can be programmed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations ( computation) automatically. Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic sets of operations known as programs. These prog ...
ization of
analytical instruments
A scientific instrument is a device or tool used for scientific purposes, including the study of both natural phenomena and theoretical research.
History
Historically, the definition of a scientific instrument has varied, based on usage, laws, an ...
the distinction between a computing context and a "non-computing" context is becoming semantic.
An example of a "non-computing" context of turnaround time is the time a particular
analysis
Analysis ( : analyses) is the process of breaking a complex topic or substance into smaller parts in order to gain a better understanding of it. The technique has been applied in the study of mathematics and logic since before Aristotle (3 ...
in a
laboratory
A laboratory (; ; colloquially lab) is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific or technological research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. Laboratory services are provided in a variety of settings: physi ...
, such as a
medical laboratory, other commercial laboratories or a
public health laboratory takes to result. Laboratories may publish an average turnaround time to inform their clients, e.g. a health care worker ordering the test, after what time a result can be expected. A prolonged turnaround time may give the requester a clue that a specimen was not received, that an analysis met with problems within the lab including that the result was unusual and the test was repeated for
quality control
Quality control (QC) is a process by which entities review the quality of all factors involved in production. ISO 9000 defines quality control as "a part of quality management focused on fulfilling quality requirements".
This approach place ...
.
Comparisons with other metrics of time
Lead Time vs Turnaround Time: Lead Time is the amount of time, defined by the
supplier or service provider, that is required to meet a customer request or demand.
Lead-time is basically the time gap between the order placed by the customer and the time when the
customer
In sales, commerce, and economics, a customer (sometimes known as a client, buyer, or purchaser) is the recipient of a good, service, product or an idea - obtained from a seller, vendor, or supplier via a financial transaction or exchan ...
get the final delivery, on the other hand the Turnaround Time is in order to get a job done and deliver the output, once the job is submitted for processing center according to the customer request.
Turnaround Time vs Response Time: Turnaround time is the amount of time elapsed from the time of submission to the time of completion whereas
response time is the average time elapsed from submission until the first response is produced.
Turnaround Time vs Wait Time: Waiting time is amount of time a process has been waiting in the ready queue.
Reasons of Delays: In case of warehouses, there are several reasons, due to which TAT can increase. First of all, if laborers or equipment are not working properly, and if the maximum efficiency could not be reached, the process would be delayed. Secondly, the infrastructure, improper infrastructure could be an obstacle for the TAT reduction.
See also
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Takt time
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Logistics
Logistics is generally the detailed organization and implementation of a complex operation. In a general business sense, logistics manages the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of consumption to meet the requirements of ...
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Cycle time variation
References
Keeping productive can be hard if you aren't finish your task within Turnaround time
8 Key Influential Tactics For Being Productive and Effective At Work"Difference between turn around time (TAT) and Waiting Time (WT) in CPU Scheduling" Gate Exam Question Explained in www.byjus.com
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* {{cite journal , title=Turnaround Time (TAT): Difference in Concept for Laboratory and Clinician , first1=Hara P. , last1=Pati , first2=Gurmeet , last2=Singh , journal=Indian J Hematol Blood Transfus , date=June 2014 , volume=30 , issue=2 , pages=81–84 , pmc=4022919 , pmid=24839360 , doi=10.1007/s12288-012-0214-3
Organizational performance management
Software performance management