Build Contention Equation

We are exploring new ways to build our software at work. I was trying to convey a thought on validating the feasibility of a build process today with the following equation. Number of Change Packages = 8 Hours * 60 Minutes / (Build Time + Preparation Time + Buffer) Filling out the right side of the equation will show how many change packages can be process by the build on an average day. The Build Time is how long it take the build to complete. The Preparation Time is how long it takes a developer to get the build started. This could represent claiming the build token, submitting to source control and waiting for the build process to begin. In the proposed build process only one developer could submit at a time; the build is triggered by a submission to source control. The Buffer is the tricky variable. Read the entry to find out why.