Tyler Grant posted an update
Metrics don’t matter.
It’s true! They don’t matter at all for most organizations. This is because in many situations, the data that is informing the metrics is absolutely terrible.
All of the Tableau graphs, JIRA rollups, and meticulously researched executive reporting decks out there are worse than useless, since they don’t tell the real story.
To get to the root of the situation, you have to understand how the data that informs all of these reports is generated.
When you pull JIRA data from teams that all use a different workflow, your data will be poor at best, and actively misleading at worst. Exporting data into another tool further removes the context, and then leaders frantically working on messaging for their executives as they prep their recurring metrics readout can totally blur what’s actually happening on the ground.
To fix this, you have to first understand how you’re receiving data, and what is the quality of that data. Tool standardization can help to ensure that your inputs are uniform across teams. I’m not advocating for everyone reporting out their velocity, but rather using similar workflows and tagging for work items so that similar type work is categorized the same way universally.
Second, focusing more on OKR style achievables and allowing the data and metrics to inform progress rather than being the end state report helps to stop anti-patterns from executives. When metrics improve it is easy to think that the outcomes are also improving, when that might not necessarily be the case.
Lastly, don’t allow metrics to be a tool for punishment, rather a way to understand the context and circumstances in which value is being delivered. If a team is struggling, it should show in the data, which reveals an opportunity for improvement .
At the end of the day, to continuously improve, we MUST reject the way that metrics are being reported widely in the industry, and rather embrace clean, clear, and concise data as a means to an end, rather than the end itself.
4 Comments
Thanks for sharing @novawood
Metrics often fall short due to poor data. Understanding data generation is vital.
Standardizing tools and workflows improves data quality. Focus on OKRs and let data inform progress.
Metrics shouldn’t punish but offer improvement opportunities. Shift focus to clean, concise data for continuous improvement.
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Thought-provoking! Thanks for sharing Tyler!
What are some of the most common pitfalls you’ve observed or experienced in metric reporting?
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For me the two biggest are tools not being set up so that they can effectively output clean data, and poor data input. If teams aren’t incentivized to actually provide quality data, or if it’s been made clear through practice that being honest with their reporting will have negative consequences, then you can’t possibly expect clear, impactful metrics to be the output.
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@novawood Tyler, man you hit the nail right square on the head!
Love it! Metrics is one of the biggest dysfunctions for teams doing agile.
Most leaders just want to get feel-good vanity metrics, like velocity to compare team’s performance, instead of investing in truly setting up their teams for success by focusing on the outcomes.
It’s an opportunity for our community members to educate leaders understand and leverage metrics to achieve the desired outcomes.
Which also means that if these leaders are truly invested, they will also have to actually and actively use the tools which they purchased for the teams.
Instead of just generate me a report so I can add it to my slide deck.
Blessed to have you in our community!
Keep sharing and keep leading! 🔥🚀
