Performance Metrics Software Developers Should Keep in Mind

A software developer needs to track his or her project’s metrics to ensure the software works as intended. However, the developer must also meet certain tracking metrics to ensure his or her team is meeting due dates and expectations. Here are some performance metrics software developers should keep in mind.

Impact

One of the most important software developer performance metrics is impact. You and your team need to be aware of what effect your work will have on the software, the product and the consumer. You also need to understand the impact the project may have on the developer. For example, a large, urgent project may require a developer to pause less impactful work to focus on it. You can measure impact in several ways, including the number of changes required and the number of files those changes will affect.

Team Cohesion

A software development team that doesn’t work well together lacks team cohesion. Teams without cohesion are less likely to successfully meet deadlines or perform their work well. Team cohesion is an important metric for tracking productivity, job satisfaction, work quality and employee retention.

Code Churn

Code churn is an important measurement of quality and efficiency. Churn refers to the time a developer must spend editing his or her code. It includes deletions, modifications and additions. The more edits a developer needs to make, the less time he or she has to work on new projects and the less likely the project is to be completed by its deadline. The goal is to reduce code churn as much as possible to maintain or increase productivity and efficiency.

Some software development metrics for developers and software programs are the same. Others are only meant for the software or the developer. A developer should ensure he or she is meeting expectations and that the software is progressing appropriately.