CX-301d · Module 3

TTFV Root Cause Analysis

3 min read

When TTFV exceeds the target, something went wrong — and identifying what went wrong is the fastest path to preventing it from happening again. TTFV root cause analysis is a post-engagement review that identifies the specific delays, blockers, and process failures that extended the time to first value. The analysis is not about blame. It is about understanding which parts of the onboarding process are slowing value delivery and fixing them systemically.

Do This

  • Conduct TTFV root cause analysis for every engagement that exceeds 30 days — pattern recognition requires data from multiple cases
  • Categorize delays by type: internal delays (resource availability, delivery sequencing), external delays (client availability, data access), and process delays (handoff gaps, approval bottlenecks)
  • Feed root cause findings into onboarding playbook improvements — the playbook should evolve with every delay pattern identified

Avoid This

  • Skip the analysis when TTFV is close to target — "33 days is basically fine" misses the pattern that could push future engagements to 40
  • Attribute delays to client factors without examining internal contributions — "they were slow to respond" may also mean "we did not give them a clear ask"
  • Conduct the analysis but not update the process — analysis without action is documentation, not improvement