Key findings from the 2023 State of Devops Report | Nathen Harvey (DORA at Google)
Oct 25, 2023
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Nathen Harvey from DORA at Google shares key findings from the State of DevOps Report. Topics include user-centric software development, impact of documentation on software delivery, reemergence of the Elite cluster, and the role of AI in software delivery.
User-centric development leads to higher organizational performance and improved well-being for team members.
High-quality documentation positively affects team performance but its direct impact on organizational performance is still uncertain.
Deep dives
The Importance of User-Centric Development
User-centric development emerged as a new construct in the Dora research program. It focuses on understanding user needs, evaluating team success based on user value, and continuously revisiting and prioritizing requirements according to user feedback. Teams with a stronger user focus reported a 40% higher organizational performance and improved well-being for team members.
The Role of Documentation in Software Delivery
Documentation plays a crucial role in enabling technical practices and amplifying the impact of technical capabilities. Teams with high-quality documentation had a 25% better team performance. However, the correlation between documentation and software delivery performance was not statistically significant. While documentation positively affects technical practices, its direct impact on organizational performance remains to be seen.
The Impact of AI on Development
Over half of the respondents reported using artificial intelligence (AI) to varying degrees in tasks such as log analysis, bug identification, and code writing. While AI showed moderate positive effects on team well-being, its impact on overall organizational performance is yet to be observed. The rapidly evolving nature of AI necessitates further research and analysis.
The Significance of Faster Code Reviews
Faster code reviews were found to unlock software delivery performance, resulting in a 50% improvement. Code review speed plays a critical role in developer experience, reducing cognitive load, improving flow, and enabling faster feedback. Teams with slow code reviews can explore using AI to speed up the process and achieve better outcomes. Establishing baselines and continuously evaluating the impact of new capabilities is essential in optimizing code review practices.
This week’s episode dives into the DORA research program and this year’s State of DevOps Report. Nathen Harvey, who leads DORA at Google, shares the key findings from the research and what’s changed since previous reports.
Discussion points:
(1:10) What DORA focuses on
(2:17) Where the DORA metrics fit
(4:35) Introduction to user-centric software development
(8:05) Impact of user-centricity on software delivery
(9:40) Team performance vs. organizational performance
(13:50) Importance of internal documentation
(15:19) Methodology for designing surveys
(19:52) Impact of documentation on software delivery
(23:11) Reemergence of the Elite cluster
(25:55) Advice for leaders leveraging benchmarks
(28:30) Redefining MTTR
(33:45) Changing how Change Failure Rate is measured