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Select and Use SDLC Metrics Effectively

Be careful what you ask for, because you will probably get it.

  • Your organization wants to implement (or revamp existing) software delivery metrics to monitor performance as well as achieve its goals.
  • You know that metrics can be a powerful tool for managing team behavior.
  • You also know that all metrics are prone to misuse and mismanagement, which can lead to unintended consequences that will harm your organization.
  • You need an approach for selecting and using effective software development lifecycle (SDLC) metrics that will help your organization to achieve its goals while minimizing the risk of unintended consequences.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • Metrics are powerful, dangerous, and often mismanaged, particularly when they are tied to reward or punishment. To use SDLC metrics effectively, know the dangers, understand good practices, and then follow Info-Tech‘s TAG (team-oriented, adaptive, and goal-focused) approach to minimize risk and maximize impact.

Impact and Result

  • Begin by understanding the risks of metrics.
  • Then understand good practices associated with metrics use.
  • Lastly, follow Info-Tech’s TAG approach to select and use SDLC metrics effectively.

Select and Use SDLC Metrics Effectively Research & Tools

Start here – read the Executive Brief

Understand both the dangers and good practices related to metrics, along with Info-Tech’s TAG approach to the selection and use of SDLC metrics.

Select and Use SDLC Metrics Effectively – Executive Brief
Select and Use SDLC Metrics Effectively – Phases 1-3

1. Understand the dangers of metrics

Explore the significant risks associated with metrics selection so that you can avoid them.

Select and Use SDLC Metrics Effectively – Phase 1: Understand the Risks of Metrics

2. Know good practices related to metrics

Learn about good practices related to metrics and how to apply them in your organization, then identify your team’s business-aligned goals to be used in SDLC metric selection.

Select and Use SDLC Metrics Effectively – Phase 2: Know Good Practices Related to Metrics
SDLC Metrics Evaluation and Selection Tool

3. Rank and select effective SDLC metrics for your team

Follow Info-Tech’s TAG approach to selecting effective SDLC metrics for your team, create a communication deck to inform your organization about your selected SDLC metrics, and plan to review and revise these metrics over time.

Select and Use SDLC Metrics Effectively – Phase 3: Rank and Select Effective SDLC Metrics for Your Team
SDLC Metrics Rollout and Communication Deck
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About Info-Tech

Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.

We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

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Guided Implementation 1: Understand the Dangers of Metrics
  • Call 1: Scope requirements, objectives, and your specific challenges (identify potential participants).
  • Call 2: First call with participants (introduce Phase 1 and assign exercises for completion).
  • Call 3: Review exercise outcomes (prep for Phase 2 calls).

Guided Implementation 2: Know Good Practices Related to Metrics
  • Call 1: Examine good practices and assign exercises for completion.
  • Call 2: Review exercise outcomes (prep for Phase 3 calls).

Guided Implementation 3: Rank and Select Effective SDLC Metrics for Your Team
  • Call 1: Review evaluation tool and assign exercise for potential metrics.
  • Call 2: Score potential metrics and select team metrics.
  • Call 3: Conduct closeout and communication call.

Author

Alex Ciraco

Contributors

  • Maurizio Laudisa, CIO and VP of IT, Superior Energy Distribution
  • Rob Gordanier, Senior Solution Architect, IBM
  • David Marsh, Agile Coach, Bodega Consulting Ltd
  • Terry Rickan, Executive Director, Statistics Canada
  • Mark Krasnohorsky, Information System Architect, K&K Technologies

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