Earned standard time and attainment
Objective. Define earned standard time as standard-rated credit for completed work and attainment as the ratio of that credit to actual time, and keep both honest about the standard they rest on.
Earned standard time converts completed work back into the time it should have taken; attainment compares that to the time actually spent. It is the cleanest pace figure the platform offers and the one most dependent on a trustworthy standard.
See it in the demo
Definition
Earned standard time is the credit a person or team earns for the work they completed, valued at standard handle time - that is, completed units multiplied by the standard time each should take. Attainment is earned standard time expressed against the actual time spent (or against a target), showing whether work was completed faster or slower than standard.
How it is calculated
At app-logic level: earned standard time equals completed units times their standard handle time, summed across work types (using complexity-banded standards where they exist). Attainment equals earned standard time divided by actual time worked on that work, or against an agreed target. Included: completed, counted work with a valid standard. Excluded: incomplete work and work with no agreed standard. Confirm with product exactly how actual time is scoped and whether attainment is against time or a target - do not assume the formula.
How to read it and the common misread
Read attainment around 100 percent as working at standard pace, above as faster than standard, below as slower - with the standard and complexity mix held constant. The common misread is comparing attainment across teams without aligning the standards, complexity and quality behind it. The most dangerous misread is reading high attainment as good performance while ignoring quality: fast work that fails quality is rework, not attainment. Pace is not the same as clean output.
Where it appears
Earned standard time and attainment appear in Work Output under standards, benchmarks and output attainment. The exact attainment basis is SME-validation-pending; confirm with product.
Interpretation check
Attainment is earned standard time over actual time - a pace figure that is only as trustworthy as its standard, and it says nothing about quality on its own.
In the field
At KnackGlobal, output attainment on clean work per paid hour is the displacement argument against an activity-only incumbent, but only when the standards and quality behind attainment are validated, not assumed.
Practical task
Pick one team in the demo, read its attainment, and write a two-line finding that states the standard it rests on and one quality or complexity check you would run before presenting the figure as performance.
Self-check
Team A shows 120 percent attainment, Team B shows 90 percent. Can you conclude A is better?
Not yet. You must align the standards, complexity mix and quality behind each. Different or stale standards, easier work, or ignored rework can all produce a higher attainment that does not mean better performance.
Why can high attainment coexist with a quality problem?
Attainment measures pace against standard, not correctness. Work done fast but failing quality generates rework; counting it as attainment overstates real performance. Attainment must be read alongside clean output.
What is earned standard time in one sentence?
The completed work valued at the time it should have taken - completed units times their standard handle time - which is then compared to actual time to give attainment.
Verified vs demo. Earned standard time and attainment are shown in the Work Output demo; the attainment basis (versus time or target) and standard provenance are SME-validation-pending - confirm with product.