DORA metrics serve as a compass for engineering teams, optimizing development and operations processes to enhance efficiency, reliability, and continuous improvement in software delivery.
In this blog, we explore how DORA metrics boost tech team performance by providing critical insights into software development and delivery processes.
DORA metrics, developed by the DevOps Research and Assessment team, are a set of key performance indicators that measure the effectiveness and efficiency of software development and delivery processes. They provide a data-driven approach to evaluate the impact of operational practices on software delivery performance.
In 2021, the DORA Team added Reliability as a fifth metric. It is based upon how well the user’s expectations are met, such as availability and performance, and measures modern operational practices.
Here’s how key DORA metrics help in boosting performance for tech teams:
Deployment Frequency is used to track the rate of change in software development and to highlight potential areas for improvement. A wrong approach in the first key metric can degrade the other DORA metrics.
One deployment per week is standard. However, it also depends on the type of product.
Lead Time for Changes is a critical metric used to measure the efficiency and speed of software delivery. It is the duration between a code change being committed and its successful deployment to end-users.
The standard for Lead time for Change is less than one day for elite performers and between one day and one week for high performers.
CFR, or Change Failure Rate measures the frequency at which newly deployed changes lead to failures, glitches, or unexpected outcomes in the IT environment.
0% - 15% CFR is considered to be a good indicator of code quality.
MTTR, which stands for Mean Time to Recover, is a valuable metric that provides crucial insights into an engineering team's incident response and resolution capabilities.
Less than one hour is considered to be a standard for teams.
Firstly, you need to collect DORA Metrics effectively. This can be done by integrating tools and systems to gather data on key DORA metrics. There are various DORA metrics trackers in the market that make it easier for development teams to automatically get visual insights in a single dashboard. The aim is to collect the data consistently over time to establish trends and benchmarks.
The next step is to analyze them to understand your development team's performance. Start by comparing metrics to the DORA benchmarks to see if the team is an Elite, High, Medium, or Low performer. Ensure to look at the metrics holistically as improvements in one area may come at the expense of another. So, always strive for balanced improvements. Regularly review the collected metrics to identify areas that need the most improvement and prioritize them first. Don’t forget to track the metrics over time to see if the improvement efforts are working.
Leverage the DORA metrics to drive continuous improvement in engineering practices. Discuss what’s working and what’s not and set goals to improve metric scores over time. Don’t use DORA metrics on a sole basis. Tie it with other engineering metrics to measure it holistically and experiment with changes to tools, processes, and culture.
Encourage practices like:
Typo is a powerful tool designed specifically for tracking and analyzing DORA metrics, providing an alternative and efficient solution for development teams seeking precision in their DevOps performance measurement.
DORA metrics are not just metrics; they are strategic navigators guiding tech teams toward optimized software delivery. By focusing on key DORA metrics, tech teams can pinpoint bottlenecks and drive sustainable performance enhancements.