How do you report your software development outcomes?

In an agile world, you want to get to a standard dashboard that is consistent so that there is a level of muscle memory that gets developed with the stakeholders. The dashboard should consist of key perfomance indicators and preferably that includes trends. Number of bugs, team velocity, code coverage and above all customer satisfaction index. There is nothing like a steller demo at the end of every iteration (Sprint / PI) , and it should be focused on the business value that the product increment has added to the system.

It is crucial to also utilize the project management tools we use to track our tasks for proper reporting. Tools like Jira, Asana etc. not only lets engineers properly track the status of a task, bug or a user story but also with reporting and can help streamline the process, improve transparency, and provide valuable insights to stakeholders. As engineers we routinely use these tools and it is important to capture task related details in tickets that are associated with our immediate work. This not only helps with structured reporting but also in tracking back a certain issue that may reappear in future and thereby, helping in identifying bottlenecks, and communicate updates to stakeholders in a clear and data-driven manner.

I personally like living dashboards like what Ruchi suggests. Trends should include defect density, code coverage, lead time (time taken from definition to delivery). Release burndown is another good chart, at every iteration, this resonates well with the business stakeholders as to when the PI is likely to get delivered.

? Use charts, graphs, and other visuals to help your audience understand your findings. ? Tailor your report to the specific needs of your audience. ? Be clear about the scope of your report. ? Keep your report concise and to the point. ? Be objective and unbiased in your reporting. ? End your report with a summary of your findings. ? Proofread your report carefully before submitting it.

Over my 20-year tenure in software testing, I've found that reporting software development outcomes should be a multi-faceted exercise encompassing both IT and Business metrics. On the IT front, indicators like Application Availability, Defect Leakage to Production, and Mean Time to Failure are vital. These metrics offer insights into the software's technical robustness and how effectively the development and testing phases have been executed. Conversely, Business Outcomes often tell a broader story. Metrics such as Improvement in Sales/Revenue, Employee Productivity, and Customer Conversion Rates are equally crucial. These give stakeholders a holistic view of the software's impact on business operations.