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Using Time Tracking for Insights
Time tracking isn't about surveillance—it's about learning. When done right, time data reveals patterns in how work actually happens versus how we assume it happens. These insights improve estimates, surface hidden inefficiencies, and help teams work smarter.
Time Tracking Value
| Insight | What It Reveals | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Actual vs estimated | Estimation accuracy | Improve estimates |
| Time by category | Where effort goes | Resource allocation |
| Meeting time | Collaboration overhead | Meeting hygiene |
| Context switching | Productivity drain | Reduce WIP |
Meaningful Tracking
Right Granularity
TIME TRACKING GRANULARITY
═════════════════════════
TOO DETAILED (AVOID):
─────────────────────────────────────
9:00-9:15 Read emails
9:15-9:47 Started coding login
9:47-9:52 Coffee break
9:52-10:30 Continued login
10:30-10:45 Helped colleague
...
Problems:
├── High overhead
├── Developer frustration
├── Micromanagement feel
├── Inaccurate anyway
└── Not useful for insights
RIGHT LEVEL:
─────────────────────────────────────
Per task/story:
├── "GS-123 User Login: 4 hours"
├── "GS-124 Bug fix: 2 hours"
├── "Code review: 1.5 hours"
├── "Sprint planning: 2 hours"
└── Logged daily or at task completion
Benefits:
├── Low overhead
├── Meaningful aggregation
├── Ties to deliverables
├── Useful for planning
└── Respects developer time
WHAT TO TRACK:
─────────────────────────────────────
Feature development → By story/task
Bug fixes → By bug
Meetings → By meeting type
Code review → Category, not per PR
Support/interrupt → Separate category
└── Categories enable analysis
Easy Logging
LOW-FRICTION LOGGING
════════════════════
INTEGRATED TRACKING:
─────────────────────────────────────
GitScrum time tracking:
├── Timer on task
├── Start when you begin
├── Stop when you switch
├── Automatic logging
└── Minimal interaction
DAILY QUICK LOG:
─────────────────────────────────────
End of day, 2 minutes:
"What did I work on today?"
├── GS-123: 3h
├── GS-124: 2h
├── Meetings: 2h
├── Code review: 1h
└── Done—tomorrow repeat
CATEGORY TRACKING:
─────────────────────────────────────
If task-level is too much:
├── Feature work: 4h
├── Bug fixes: 2h
├── Meetings: 2h
├── Review/help: 1h
└── Still provides insights
AUTOMATION:
─────────────────────────────────────
Tools that help:
├── Calendar integration (meeting time)
├── Git commits (coding sessions)
├── Tool activity (approximate focus)
├── Automatic categorization
└── Reduce manual entry
Analysis Patterns
Where Time Goes
TIME DISTRIBUTION ANALYSIS
══════════════════════════
WEEKLY TIME REPORT:
─────────────────────────────────────
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Team Time Distribution - Sprint 26 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ Feature Dev ████████████████████░░░░ 45% │
│ Bug Fixes ██████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 15% │
│ Meetings ██████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 15% │
│ Code Review ████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 10% │
│ Tech Debt ████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 10% │
│ Other ██░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 5% │
│ │
│ Insight: 45% on new features—is that enough? │
│ Question: 15% on bugs—can we reduce defects? │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
INSIGHTS:
─────────────────────────────────────
If meetings are 25%:
"Are all these meetings needed?"
Action: Audit and reduce
If bugs are 30%:
"Quality issues consuming capacity"
Action: Improve testing, code review
If interrupts are 15%:
"Context switching hurting focus"
Action: Focus time, rotation for support
Compare across sprints:
├── Trend improving or worsening?
├── Seasonal patterns?
├── Correlated with other factors?
└── Data-driven decisions
Estimation Accuracy
ESTIMATE VS ACTUAL ANALYSIS
═══════════════════════════
TRACKING ACCURACY:
─────────────────────────────────────
Story Estimated Actual Ratio
─────────────────────────────────────────
GS-100 8h 12h 1.5x
GS-101 4h 3h 0.75x
GS-102 16h 24h 1.5x
GS-103 8h 8h 1.0x
GS-104 4h 10h 2.5x
─────────────────────────────────────────
Average ratio: 1.45x (underestimate by 45%)
PATTERNS BY TYPE:
─────────────────────────────────────
Bug Fixes: Avg 2.1x underestimate
Frontend: Avg 1.2x (pretty accurate)
Backend API: Avg 1.1x (accurate)
Integration: Avg 2.5x underestimate
Infra: Avg 1.8x underestimate
Insights:
├── We're bad at estimating bugs
├── Frontend/backend: We know well
├── Integration work: Always complicated
├── Infra: Hidden complexity
└── Adjust estimates accordingly
USING PATTERNS:
─────────────────────────────────────
New integration story estimated at 8h?
Historical data shows 2.5x pattern.
Actual estimate: 8h × 2.5 = 20h
Use data to improve planning.
Productivity Patterns
PRODUCTIVITY INSIGHTS
═════════════════════
TIME OF DAY:
─────────────────────────────────────
When is coding time logged?
┌────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Focus Time Distribution │
├────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ 9-10 ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ Low │
│ 10-12 ████████████████░░ HIGH │
│ 12-1 ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ Lunch │
│ 1-3 ████████████░░░░░░ Medium │
│ 3-4 ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ Low │
│ 4-6 ████████░░░░░░░░░░ Medium │
│ │
│ Best focus: 10am-12pm │
│ Protect this time! │
│ │
└────────────────────────────────────────┘
MEETING IMPACT:
─────────────────────────────────────
Days with >3 meetings: 2h coding avg
Days with <2 meetings: 5h coding avg
Insight: Meetings cost 3+ coding hours.
Action: Consolidate meeting days.
CONTEXT SWITCHING:
─────────────────────────────────────
Developers working on 3+ tasks/day: 20% less productivity
Developers focused on 1-2 tasks/day: Higher throughput
Insight: WIP limits work.
Action: Enforce focus.
GitScrum Time Tracking
Features
GITSCRUM TIME TRACKING
══════════════════════
TASK TIMER:
─────────────────────────────────────
Task → Start Timer
├── Click to start
├── Runs in background
├── Click to stop
├── Time logged automatically
└── No manual entry
MANUAL LOG:
─────────────────────────────────────
Task → Log Time
├── Enter hours/minutes
├── Add date
├── Optional note
└── Quick when timer not used
TIME REPORTS:
─────────────────────────────────────
Reports → Time Tracking
├── By team member
├── By project
├── By task type
├── By time period
├── By custom field
└── Export for analysis
ESTIMATE VS ACTUAL:
─────────────────────────────────────
Task with estimate + logged time:
├── Shows comparison
├── Over/under indicator
├── Roll up to sprint
├── Historical accuracy
└── Calibration data
DASHBOARD:
─────────────────────────────────────
Time tracking widget:
├── Hours this sprint
├── Distribution by category
├── Team utilization
├── Burndown with time
└── Visual insights
Best Practices
For Time Tracking
- Track for insights, not surveillance — Team data, not individuals
- Right granularity — Task level, not minute level
- Make it easy — Timers, quick logs
- Analyze regularly — Monthly review patterns
- Act on insights — Data without action is waste
Anti-Patterns
TIME TRACKING MISTAKES:
✗ Micromanaging with time data
✗ Minute-by-minute tracking
✗ High overhead logging
✗ Collecting but not analyzing
✗ Punishing time entries
✗ No categories
✗ Ignoring patterns
✗ Time = productivity (false)