Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

Metrics That Drive Performance with Leon Chism

Apr 18, 2024

Experienced technologist Leon Chism discusses the importance of collecting metrics for organization-wide success, focusing on DORA metrics, process optimization, and team balance. He emphasizes measuring processes, not people, and sharing a holistic interpretation of data with leaders for effective decision-making.

30:45

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Episode guests

Leon Chism

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Quick takeaways

Focusing on DORA metrics like change lead time and deployment frequency improves speed and quality.

Beyond DORA metrics, additional tracking of system availability and post-deployment confidence ensures comprehensive performance evaluation.

Deep dives

Key Point 1: Door Metrics for Speed and Quality

Focusing on key metrics like change lead time and deployment frequency from the DORA organization aids in improving speed and quality simultaneously. The correlation between speed and quality is highlighted, debunking the traditional notion of trade-offs between them. The emphasis is on reducing change lead time and increasing deployment frequency, aligning with modern development practices and automation to enhance both efficiency and effectiveness.

Introduction

2min

Accelerating Software Development Through Effective Metrics

21min

Enhancing Team Collaboration and Metric Implementation in Organizations

3min

Navigating Challenges in Integrated Product Environments and Cultivating Metric Acceptance

2min

Exploring the Limitations of Data-Driven Decision Making and the Value of Context

2min

Today we're sharing another insightful presentation from our most recent Innovative Executives League Summit, where Leon Chism, the Vice President of Engineering at Evolve, delivered a powerful lesson on collecting critical metrics for organization-wide success. As an experienced technologist and executive, Leon leads teams in unparalleled growth and innovation. In this presentation, Leon dives into how the collection of metrics examining speed and quality paired with human-driven evaluation and consistent reporting are the keys to success.

In this episode, Leon first dives into DORA metrics and the significance of collecting and reporting those figures of speed and quality. He overviews the additional customization of the data he collects; in one example, he looks closely at aging reports to determine where processes are sticking and gains a live perspective on getting those tasks unstuck by allocating more resources. As the last place to observe metrics, Leon offers a compelling outlook on examining team balance and individual metrics. ("You want to measure the process and not the people.") In further support of optimizing processes and not people, Leon shares his perspective on leaderboards, comparison, and other human-oriented metric frameworks of note.

In the final segment, Leon answers audience questions ranging from setting WIP limits (never too low), developer satisfaction, and key aspects of the communication around metrics to create a shared understanding and identify the value beyond the data.

(02:16) – DORA metrics
(07:39) – Aging Report
(10:15) – Balance and individual metrics
(12:22) – Metrics in the boardroom
(13:35) – SPACE Framework
(15:45) – Manual metric collection
(17:19) – Developer satisfaction
(18:48) – Gaming the metrics
(20:26) – WIP limits
(21:45) – Shared metrics and collaboration
(26:00) – Hardware, software, firmware
(27:05) – Communicating the metrics
(28:26) – Value beyond the data

Leon Chism is the Vice President of Engineering at Evolve. As an experienced technologist and executive, he has led innovation and technology at Jellyvision, DialogTech, Rewards Network, Analyte Health, PowerReviews, and ORBITZ. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Campaign.

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Podcast episode production by Dante32.