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Measuring Success

"What gets measured gets managed." - Peter Drucker

While traditional engineering metrics focus on technical outcomes, this framework requires measuring both human and technical factors. Here's how to track progress:

Team Health Metrics​

  • Regular happiness surveys using simple 1-5 Likert scales

    • Target 80% happiness score while monitoring velocity accuracy
    • Together, these metrics indicate sustainable pace
    • Resist pressure to sacrifice happiness for velocity

  • Monitor social connection indicators:

    • Participation in company chat channels (both work and social)
    • Cross-team meeting attendance and engagement
    • Remember: Teams that play together stay together
    • Especially critical for remote teams where connections need intentional nurturing

  • Watch for engagement warning signs:

    • Team members who rarely speak in meetings
    • Declining participation in collaborative sessions
    • Note: Not everyone is extroverted, and that's okay
    • Focus on changes in individual participation patterns rather than absolute levels

Delivery Quality Metrics​

  • Track velocity accuracy (completed vs. committed work ratio)

    • Aim for close to 100% accuracy
    • High accuracy builds trust with stakeholders outside engineering
    • Resist pressure to over-commit

  • Monitor "backwards movement" on agile boards

    • Analyze tickets that move backwards to identify communication gaps
    • Use these insights to strengthen specific team relationships
    • This metric provides concrete evidence of communication breakdowns
    • Often reveals where personal connections need strengthening
    • Can also highlight technical debt and complexity issues

The goal isn't just to collect metrics, but to use them as signals for where relationships need attention. For example, when tickets consistently move backwards on your sprint board, it often indicates a communication gap between teams—an opportunity to strengthen specific relationships and improve collaboration patterns. By tracking both happiness and velocity accuracy together, you can ensure your team maintains a sustainable pace while building trust through reliable delivery.