Project Glossary: Leading & Lagging Indicators
A leading indicator looks forward at future outcomes and events. Also known as “anticipated” indicators.
They provide data that helps a project manager or an organisation to predict.
Examples:
Requirements or Test Coverage
Team Velocity: Average number of story points or tasks completed by the development team per iteration
Staff Turnover Rate
Team workload level
A lagging indicator looks back at whether the intended result was achieved. Also known as “straggling”, or “retrospective” indicators.
They provide data that helps a project manager or an organisation to reflect.
Examples:
Schedule or Budget variance: Actual vs planned
Customer feedback (number of reported issues, amount of downtime etc.)
Customer Satisfaction surveys
Both examples provide data points to monitor and evaluate project progress, performance to target, and success.