About Chris Westerhold:
Chris Westerhold is the Sr. Director of Engineering Effectiveness at HTEC Group and co-founder of Think Big Code Small. Chris has over 15 years of technology experience across start-ups and large enterprises with a major focus on building scaleable engineering teams, developer platforms, platform engineering, and technical product management. He is a vocal advocate for developer experience and is passionate about using data-driven approaches to improve it.
Chris on Linkedin
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Developer Experience
06:36 The Importance of Metrics in Developer Productivity
14:16 Navigating Metrics Overload
16:35 Common Pitfalls in Metrics
24:45 Examples where metrics can fail
34:17 What drives change
Summary
In this conversation, Chris, a senior director of engineering effectiveness at HTEC, discusses the importance of developer experience and its impact on productivity. He emphasizes the need for organizations to understand the nuances of developer experience, the role of metrics, and the potential pitfalls of misusing them. Chris shares insights on how to effectively measure developer productivity, the importance of qualitative data, and the need for empathy in addressing developer challenges. He also highlights the significance of balancing metrics to avoid gaming behaviors and drive meaningful improvements in developer experience.
Keywords
Developer experience, metrics, productivity, engineering effectiveness, developer satisfaction, software development, organizational waste, collaboration, developer burnout, engineering culture
Takeaways
Developer experience is crucial for reducing burnout among developers.
There is a distinction between developer productivity and developer experience.
Metrics should be tailored to different organizational levels.
Qualitative data is essential for understanding developer challenges.
Avoid measuring things that don't provide actionable insights.
Developer experience should be viewed as an investment, not a cost.
Empathy is key in addressing developer experience issues.
Balancing metrics can prevent gaming behaviors.
Organizations should focus on removing waste and friction.
Continuous improvement in developer experience requires nurturing and understanding.
Case against metrics with Chris Westerhold