Laws of Software Engineering · Pattern
Pattern
Goodhart's Law
Once a measurement becomes a target, it stops being a useful measurement.
How to use it. Keep diagnostic measurements separate from goals. The DORA numbers are diagnostic. Set team goals as outcomes, and keep the diagnostics for diagnosis.
How it gets misused. Used to refuse all measurement. Goodhart objects to targeting the thermometer. Reading it is fine.
Related
- Saying Gilb's Law Anything you need to measure can be measured in some way that is better than not measuring it at all.
- Saying Vanity vs Actionable Metrics A vanity metric makes you feel good. An actionable metric changes a decision.
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Law
DORA / Accelerate Findings
Four numbers predict whether a software organisation is performing well: how often you ship, how long changes take, how often changes break things, and how fast you recover when they do.
Clusters
- The Measurement cluster - How to measure without breaking the things you measure.