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Did you know the most elite engineering teams, when compared to low performers, realize 182x more deployments per year with an 8x lower Change Failure Rate? (DORA 2024 pg 15)
For engineering managers, selecting the right tools isn't just about efficiency—it's about creating an environment where teams can thrive and deliver exceptional results.
This guide explores team productivity tools available in 2024 for engineering managers looking to boost their team's performance while maintaining a sustainable work environment.
Sections:
When discussing developer productivity, we need to look beyond simplistic metrics. Developer productivity represents how effectively teams deliver high-quality software that creates business value. It encompasses factors like:
Understanding these factors can help teams better predict project timelines, support developer growth, and justify investments in team resources. However, it's important to note that simplistic measurement approaches can do more harm than good.
We've all heard the nightmare stories where a leader stack-ranked engineers on lines of code and fired the bottom quartile; these approaches reduce trust, which is the #1 thing we need for team performance.
At Multitudes, we believe it’s essential to set clear boundaries on what we will and won't measure, guided by our commitment to data ethics principles. You can read more about how we measure developer productivity here.
When evaluating tools to measure and improve developer productivity, there are three main types of tools to consider:
Open-source tools like Google's DORA provide a flexible and cost-effective way to measure developer productivity. These solutions are ideal for organizations with the technical expertise to customize and maintain their own systems.
Many development platforms offer built-in analytics capabilities. Tools embedded within platforms like GitLab integrate directly into your development workflow, providing immediate insights without additional setup (if you already use the tool).
Dedicated developer productivity platforms like Multitudes offer comprehensive solutions that combine technical metrics with human factors, such as team collaboration and code quality.
When selecting a productivity tool for your team, consider these essential factors:
An important but often overlooked aspect of Developer Productivity is maintaining healthy work patterns. Research from the Wharton School of Business and University of North Carolina shows that cognitive resources deplete over time, making it harder for developers to solve complex problems without adequate breaks and rest.
Engineering managers should understand their teams’ work patterns. For example, you could use Multitudes to help:
Rather than concentrating solely on output metrics, successful engineering managers prioritize outcomes that demonstrate real value to customers and the business.
Consider metrics such as:
Software development thrives on teams that prioritise collaboration and trust - your productivity metrics should foster this. Here’s why a trust-based environment matters:
Numbers alone don't tell the complete productivity story. Look beyond pure metrics to understand the full picture:
True productivity improvement extends beyond what we can measure. While metrics provide valuable insights, success ultimately comes from creating an environment that promotes clear communication and effective prioritization. The real value lies not in the measurements themselves, but in the actions you take based on these insights to help your team thrive.
While productivity tools can provide valuable data about your team's performance, the real impact comes from how you use these insights to drive meaningful improvements.
To effectively track and analyze key Developer Productivity metrics, teams can use Multitudes, which is an engineering insights platform for sustainable delivery. With Multitudes you can:
Ready to unlock happier, higher-performing teams that ship 25% faster?
