In the world of software development, metrics are essential for measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of teams, processes, and tools. Metrics provide insight into how well the team is performing, where the bottlenecks are, and where improvements can be made. In this article, we'll explore the importance of metrics and dive into DORA (DevOps Research and Assessment) and how DORA metrics are calculated by WayFinder.
Why Metrics Matter and an Introduction to DORA Metrics
Summary
Why metrics matter
Metrics provide visibility into the performance of software development processes and enable teams to determine areas for improvement. Without metrics, it's challenging to identify inefficiencies or even the root cause of issues. With metrics, teams can benchmark and track progress, set goals, and measure the effectiveness of changes made to processes and tools.
Metrics also enable data-driven decision-making. Instead of relying on hunches or intuition, teams can use data to assess the impact of their decisions on the overall performance of the software development life cycle.
DORA metrics
DORA is a research organisation that studies the practices of high-performing technology organisations. DORA's research has identified four key metrics that are strongly correlated with organisational performance. These metrics provide insight into how teams can quickly and reliably deliver value to customers by minimising the risk of errors or downtime.
Lead time
Lead time is the duration from code commit to the deployment of a change. Lead time measures how quickly a team delivers value to customers. The shorter the lead time, the quicker the team can respond to customer needs or market changes.
Deployment frequency
Deployment frequency measures how often the team deploys code changes to production. High-performing teams deploy changes more frequently, which enables them to receive feedback from customers more quickly and iterate features more rapidly.
Change failure rate
Change failure rate measures the percentage of code changes resulting in failures or defects in production. A low change failure rate indicates the team is delivering high-quality code changes that are less likely to cause issues for customers.
Time to restore
Time to restore measures how quickly the team restores service in the event of a production issue or outage. High-performing teams can restore service quickly, minimising the impact on customers and business operations.
How WayFinder calculates DORA metrics
WayFinder is a tool helping teams measure and improve their software development processes. WayFinder calculates DORA metrics automatically, using data from software repositories, build systems, and deployment tools.
WayFinder collects data on every code change made by the team, including the time it takes to complete each stage of the software development life cycle, from code commit to deployment to production. WayFinder uses these metrics to provide insight into team performance.
Classification
WayFinder calculates a classification tag for each metric so that you can compare your performance with wider industry trends.
Classification tags are based on industry standards and DORA findings.
| elite | high | medium | low | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| lead Time | Less than one day | Between one day and one week | Between one week and one month | Between one month and six months |
| deployment Frequency | On demand (multiple deploys per day) | Between once per day and once per week | Between once per week and once per month | Between once per month and once every six months |
| change Failure Rate | 0% | 5% | 10% | 15% |
| time To Restore | Less than one hour | Less than one day | Less than 1 week | More than 1 week |
Conclusion
Metrics matter in software development. By measuring key metrics like lead time, deployment frequency, change failure rate, and time to restore, DevOps teams gain insight into their performance and can determine areas for improvement.
WayFinder automates these metrics, enabling teams to make data-driven decisions and continuously improve their software development processes.