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Software Development KPIs List

Software development KPIs are metrics that track and measure the software developer, software development manager, and software development team’s ability to develop a software development application successfully. The software development manager and team are primarily responsible for delivering a completed application to the client.

Software Development KPIs Reporting Dashboard

Software Developer Objectives

The software developer KPIs are designed to track and measure the software developer’s key job efficiencies, including aspects like code quality, automated testing, code churn, knowledge sharing, and clarity in understanding software application requirements. The higher these metrics, the greater the developer’s ability to fulfill these role requirements.

  • Improve code quality – The quality code a software developer produces is critical to the success of a software development project. The code quality KPI is designed to track and measure the software developer’s ability to write high-quality code before submitting the code for review.
  • Improve testing quality – High-quality testing is a prerequisite for a successful software development project. This KPI tracks and measures the software developer’s ability to implement the highest quality testing of all code written. The higher this metric, the greater the quality of the testing of the software code.

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  • McCabe Cyclomatic Complexity (MCC) – The McCabe Cyclomatic Complexity (MCC) metric is a quantitive measure indicating the programming code’s complexity. This KPI is designed to track and measure how many linearly independent paths there are through a software application’s source code.
  • Improve (reduce) code churn – Code churn is defined as the source code that is written and either rewritten or deleted soon after completion. This KPI measures the extent to which software developers churn programming code. The lower this metric, the greater the developer’s ability to write code that is not rewritten or deleted.
  • Improve the writing of stable code – Stable code is defined as code that is bug-free, robust, and does not need to be improved over time. This KPI tracks and measures the software developer’s ability to write stable code. The higher this metric, the greater the extent to which the developer can write robust programming code.
  • Improve knowledge sharing – Knowledge sharing between developers and other team members is a vital part of a successful software development project. This KPI tracks and measures the extent to which the software developer is actively involved in the knowledge-sharing process. The higher this metric, the greater the developer’s ability to share meaningful information.
  • Improve clarity – Clarity in understanding software application requirements is a valued tool in the software developer’s skillset. This KPI tracks and measures the extent to which the software developer displays clarity in understanding the application’s requirements. The higher this metric, the greater the software developer’s ability to clearly understand project requirements.
  • Improve availability – The software developer’s availability to commit to a software development project is key to its success. This KPI measures the extent to which the developer is available to commit to a project, from start to finish. The higher this metric, the greater the developer’s ability to see a project through.

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Software Development Team Objectives

The software development team objectives or KPIs are designed to track and measure the software development team’s ability to meet the team role’s core efficiencies, including inter-team support, solution availability, solution security, end-user satisfaction, and automated testing implementations versus manual testing. The higher this metric, the greater the team’s successes.

  • Improve solution availability – Solution availability is an important KPI as users may abandon an application that is problematic to access and use. This KPI tracks and measures the software development team’s efficiency in troubleshooting and improving application performance. The higher this metric, the greater solution availability.
  • Improve solution security – The solution security KPI is used to track and measure the software development team’s vulnerability management activities. The higher this metric, the greater the extent to which the software development team can implement a software solution security plan.

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  • Improve user satisfaction – End-user satisfaction is critical to the software development project’s success. This KPI tracks and measures the extent to which the software development team ensures end-user and stakeholder satisfaction. The higher this metric, the greater the user satisfaction, the greater the chance the software will be deployed and implemented.
  • Improve cycle time – The software development cycle time is the length of time it takes from the start of the development to the end of the project where the product is delivered. This KPI tracks and measures the software development team’s ability to shorten this cycle time.
  • Improve team velocity – The software development team velocity metric measures the amount of work that is completed over time. This KPI tracks the extent to which the software development team is able to improve the team velocity rate by increasing the work completed numbers during a specified time period.
  • Improve code coverage by automated testing – This KPI tracks and measures the software development team’s ability to improve code coverage by implementing an automated testing program. The higher this metric, the greater the extent to which the software development team utilizes automated testing to improve code coverage.
  • Improve test automation against manual testing – This KPI tracks and measures the software development team’s ability to improve the test automation coverage versus the manual testing coverage. The higher this metric, the greater the extent to which the software development team utilizes automated testing versus manual testing.
  • Improve inter-team support – Inter-team support is a critical element of a successful software development project or company. This KPI tracks and measures the extent to which software development team members interact with other teams. The higher this metric, the greater the development team’s ability to interact with other team members.

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Software Development Manager Objectives

The software development manager’s objectives or KPIs are designed to track and measure the extent to which the software development manager fulfills the role’s requirements, including sprint and release burndown management, cumulative flow management, flow efficiency management, and velocity management. The higher these metrics, the greater the manager’s success.

  • Improve sprint burndown – The sprint burndown chart demonstrates the amount of work completed in a sprint. This KPI measures the software development manager’s ability to improve the sprint burndown metrics, increasing the work completed during the sprint. The higher this metric, the greater the manager’s ability to increase the work completed rate.
  • Improve release burndown – The release burndown KPI tracks and measures the extent to which the software development manager is able to ensure that the team completes the product release on time: The higher this metric, the greater the manager’s ability to manage the software application release process effectively.

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  • Improve cumulative flow – The cumulative flow diagram depicts the quantity of work in a given state. This KPI tracks and measure the extent to which the software development manager is able to help the team of developers improve the cumulative flow metrics over time.
  • Improve flow efficiency – The flow efficiency rate measures the ratio of time spent doing the software development work versus the total calendar time taken to deliver the final product to the client. This KPI tracks and measures the software development manager’s ability to ensure a high flow efficiency ratio.
  • Improve velocity – The velocity KPI tracks and measures the software development manager’s ability to monitor the software development team’s rate of progress. The higher this KPI, the greater the extent to which the software development manager can manage the team’s rate of progress, the higher the rate of progress.

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These software development KPIs are an integral part of ensuring that the software developer, development team, and manager meet their core efficiencies. The successful implementation of a software development model and methodology plays an indispensable role in ensuring that the software application is developed, on time and within budget. As a result, measuring these objectives is key to organizational success. They focus on tracking metrics grouped in three result areas: software developer, manager, and team.

It is crucial to track and measure these KPIs over time because they offer insight into the software development department or company’s successes and where improvements are needed. Metrics like improving code quality, reducing code churn, writing stable code, improving user satisfaction, increasing knowledge sharing, and improving sprint and scrum metrics are integral to ensuring operational success for the overall development of the software application.

Implementing these software development objectives aims to ensure consistency over time. High-performing metrics are valued, translating into an efficient software development strategy and application by the software development team. Lastly, any low-performing metrics must be revisited as they indicate poor performance and detract from operational success.

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