What gets measured gets managed is a way to look at how we need to use metrics for productivity gains to become a reality. We can go by our feelings or other squishy methods. However, those are easily led astray. We need a stable way to measure how we are doing when compared to how we were doing last week or last year. That is where metrics and measuring become invaluable.

Find Your Metrics For Productivity Measuring

However, this is one of those areas where it is easier said than done. Metrics make sense and can easily be argued. What those metrics are can often be elusive. It is a challenge to provide a black-and-white way to discuss our productivity. Time is an excellent measure of productivity. On the other hand, that can be a deceiving measure. We need to take into account busy versus productive when using time as a measure.

Goals And Milestones

The most reliable way to gather metrics for productivity measuring is to look at time spent and elapsed along with goals and milestones. These give us a baseline of velocity and progress. Those milestones can also be flexible and consider changing goals and priorities. Our lives are too complicated to set our path and measure only the initial milestones. Life gets in the way, and new milestones that need to be addressed pop up. It is not easy, but spending that time defining what we are working on and tracking progress is worth it. It provides a combination approach that measures what we get done and points to what distracts us.

Useful Interviews

Our topics in the past have included metrics, measuring, and how to improve in many ways. Here are some links to refresh your memory.

Measuring Your Way To Improvement

Set A Pace – Maximizing Your Productivity

Key Performance Indicators

Rob Broadhead

Rob is a founder of, and frequent contributor to, Develpreneur. This includes the Building Better Developers podcast. He is also a lifetime learner as a developer, designer, and manager of software solutions. Rob is the founder of RB Consulting and has managed to author a book about his family experiences and a few about becoming a better developer. In his free time, he stays busy raising five children (although they have grown into adults). When he has a chance to breathe, he is on the ice playing hockey to relax or working on his ballroom dance skills.

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