Rework: definition, example and how to measure it
Rework is time spent redoing work that was already marked done. Definition, a worked cost example, the five common causes, and how to measure it on a team.
Rework is doing work again because the first version was not right. It includes fixing mistakes, adding what was missing, and redoing work that misread the request. Measure it as hours spent redoing work ÷ total hours worked.
In plain words
A task is marked done. Then it comes back. The time spent the second time is rework. The person who reviews it spends time too, and the work arrives later than planned.
The five usual causes
- The brief was unclear. The person built the wrong thing well.
- "Done" was never agreed. The person thought it was finished. The reviewer did not.
- Missing information, like a number or a file that came late.
- Late feedback. The reviewer saw it at the end, when changes cost the most.
- Real mistakes, like wrong figures or broken links.
The first four are process problems, not people problems.
An example
A 10-person team spends 15% of its time on rework. At 40 hours a week and $40 an hour, that is 60 hours a week, or about $2,400 a week. Over a year, more than $120,000 of salary goes to doing things twice.
How to measure it
| Measure | How |
|---|---|
| Rework share | Hours on redone work ÷ total hours |
| Revision rounds | Average returns per task |
| Cost of rework | Rework hours × loaded hourly cost |
If you do not track hours by task, start with revision rounds. Count how many times each task goes back.
Where M-Tracker fits
M-Tracker times each task and marks when work comes back for changes, so revision time shows up on its own line on each project. Each finished task also gets a first review against its brief, which catches many returns before they happen. No screenshots and no activity tracking.
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