Notes for the talk Lies, Damned Lies, and Metrics on GOTO 2019 conference.

Purpose / Why do we need metrics?

  • Planning, Progress (avoid)
    • Get context
    • Know when we are done
    • Predict issues
    • Hindsight on issues
    • Examples: Burndown Chart, Velocity, Cumulative flow, WIP
  • CI/CD (avoid)
    • Fast feedback
    • Examples: Build / deploy / test speed, PR Approval time
  • Politics (avoid)
    • Show / convince / avoid management
    • Examples: $ wasted in waiting, cost of fixing prod bug, number of issues
  • Transformation (do it)
    • Influence behaviour
    • Measure impact of experiments
    • Pairing time, PR approve time
  • Make a decision (do it)
    • Examples: Lead time, escaped bugs, delivered value

Leading vs. Lagging indicators

  • Leading
    • Can be influenced directly
    • “Input”
    • Try to influence future performance
    • Are not goals
  • Lagging
    • Many factors at play
    • “Output”
    • Analyse past performance
    • Finally often: money made
    • => Use this one
  • Example: Weight loss
    • Leading: Calorie intake, hours of sport
    • Lagging: kg lost

Keep in mind

  • Use more than one lagging indicator (to handle tradeoffs)
  • Pair leading to lagging
  • Only measure if you have a dilemma, know what to change