Engineering Advice You Didn't Ask For S03E01 - Engineering Metrics and Productivity
Nov 6, 2024
Dive into the debate surrounding quantifying software developer productivity sparked by a controversial McKinsey article. The talk critiques traditional metrics like time in meetings and stresses the importance of a holistic view. It also examines the balance between team dynamics and individual contributions, especially in complex projects like transitioning to microservices. Plus, discover the challenges of conveying engineering impact to management and the potential of AI tools in developing better productivity assessments.
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Frameworks Collide And Cause Confusion
- McKinsey bundled DORA and SPACE ideas to measure outcomes, optimization, and opportunities across system, team, and individual levels.
- The report raised controversy by applying similar formulas across seniority levels and emphasizing contribution metrics without context.
Use DORA For Team Health, Not People Scores
- Use DORA to compare organizational or team delivery capabilities, not individual worth.
- Track deployment frequency, lead time, MTTR, and change-failure rate as team health indicators, not solo performance scores.
Inner Loop Vs Outer Loop Work Matters
- Inner-loop (day-to-day coding) and outer-loop (platform/meetings/architecture) work differ by level and role.
- Applying identical productivity metrics across juniors and principals mismeasures where value is created.