LDRDocs/Definitions/Buffer Time.md

Buffer time is a variable amount of time a task is expected to take that accounts for occassional situations the operator must respond to.

How to identify and understand buffer time

Imagine you ask somebody how long it takes them to take out the trash. They tell you it takes 5-10 minutes. You ask them why it takes 10 minutes sometimes instead of 5 minutes, and they tell you that sometimes the trash is overflowing and it has to be picked up before it can be thrown out.

That's an example of buffer time: it's extra time around the basic task that's because of a variable in how the work is done.

Here's another example: when a person needs to ask their supervisor a question sometimes it takes only a minute and other times it takes 15 minutes. The reason is because sometimes they don't know where the supervisor is, so they have to search for their supervisor.