Measure what is not measurable

It does not matter what is trying to be done, if it can’t be measured, it can’t be understood, controlled, or predicted. If it can’t measured it can’t move forward. Measurement has been the basis of all science since the time of Galileo. The idea of measurement is nothing new; it is only new to the field of software. If the software development process is not measured it cannot be studied, it cannot be understood, and it is difficult for the organization to move forward. Measurement is one of the most ordinary actions. We speak its language whenever we exchange goods or information.

Better A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance is a recent book written by Atul Gawande. The book is an investigation into how medical professionals can progress from good to great. Many of the lessons outlined in the book apply to everyone including software developers. Gawande recommends, “Count something. Regardless of what one ultimately does in medicine or outside of medicine – one should be a scientist in this world.” This applies to software developers too. To be considered a scientist, something needs to be counted and measured. It is common for software developers to refer to themselves as a computer scientists or software engineers. Both of these titles imply utilization of the scientific method, systematic study, and measurement.