The software delivery community has seen a surge in discussions about engineering metrics, particularly after the publication of influential works such as “Accelerate” and “Project to Product. The DORA metrics, Flow Framework, and SMART metrics have played important roles in continuous improvement initiatives. However, as advocates of engineering excellence, we recognise the need to broaden the conversation beyond these frameworks. While they are valuable, they can be limiting and may require a rigid approach for adoption, which can discourage engineers.

Our new benchmark report, the “State of Agile Series Benchmarks,” aims not to replace established metrics but to broaden the dialogue. This guide serves as the inaugural chapter in a series focusing on how metrics not only gauge performance but foster self-reflection—a crucial element for sustainable continuous improvement.

The Plandek benchmarks are proven metrics designed to help organisations achieve various outcomes, including:

1. Delivering more predictably to meet commitments
2. Working in more efficient ways to expedite delivery
3. Maintaining and improving quality
4. Ensuring focus remains on the right priorities

Key benchmarks included in the report:

• Lead Time to Value
• Cycle Time
• Time to Merge PRs
• Sprint Target Completion
• Bug Resolution Time
• Story:Bug Ratio
  

The report will delve into each benchmark, providing insights into their significance and practical applications. Our goal is not to offer silver bullets but to deepen our understanding of how metrics drive behaviours, leading to sustained high performance, improved morale, and, ultimately, more productive engineering environments.

This benchmark report does not aim to replace the DORA metrics or Flow Framework but to augment the conversation to include additional metrics that software delivery teams should consider to achieve the following outcomes: