The Common Sense Unit of Work

Productivity gains through use of AI assistants is also popularly reported and benchmarked in terms of % of code generated, but that’s not a very valuable dimension for measurement. If the benchmarks for AI productivity revolved around units of work valuable to the customer, then we’d be talking true productivity gains. AI assistants also need small, well specified slices of work, and hence, will also benefit from a well defined unit of work.

Big gains in developer productivity in this economic weather are important. Organisations that use DORA measure deploy or commit frequencies might find them valuable in some dimensions, but they’re not a measure of productivity in terms of outcomes for the customer. I love these last lines in Kent Beck’s writing about measuring developer productivity:

Be suspicious of anyone claiming to measure developer productivity. Ask who is asking & why. Ask them what unit they are measuring & how those units are connected to profit.

I am 100% pro-accountability. Weekly delivery of customer-appreciated value is the best accountability, the most aligned, the least distorting.