DORA metrics in 2023: 5 ways to measure DevOps performance

In the evolving landscape of software engineering, DORA metrics have become a crucial framework for measuring DevOps performance by focusing on specific productivity benchmarks. Established in 2013 by the DevOps Research and Assessment team, these metrics aim to identify what makes high-performing technology organizations successful by moving beyond traditional proxy metrics like lines of code. Key measures include deployment frequency, lead time for changes, time to restore service, change failure rate, and, more recently, reliability, which collectively help categorize organizations into high, medium, and low performers. These metrics provide insights into software delivery performance, offering a structured approach for organizations to evaluate and improve their processes, with the ultimate goal of achieving faster and more reliable service delivery. By leveraging DORA metrics, companies can navigate complex decisions, such as choosing between microservices and monoliths, with data-driven insights into how these choices impact software performance and operational excellence.