Engineering productivity refers to the measure of efficiency and effectiveness of software engineering teams. The goal of engineering productivity is to enhance the output and quality of engineering work while minimizing wasted effort, resources, and time.
Software organizations work hard on delivering their work on time and meet their goals. However, many times teams feel stuck and complain about bottlenecks in their process
Engineering productivity involves utilizing tools, processes, and methodologies to streamline workflows, improve collaboration, and foster innovation within engineering projects. It focuses on removing obstacles, automating repetitive tasks, and providing engineers with the necessary support and resources to accomplish their work efficiently.
To simplify, In order to improve your team productivity you should focus on two main things:
- Review your current SDLC and engineering process and identify bottlenecks / areas which can lead to a better time to value – For better results, It is recommended to use unbiased external party
- Use of different processes, techniques, and tools to continuously improve your engineering process
Sounds easy but in fact engineering productivity and the engineering process today built out of many other factors which you should take into account and measure carefully in order to achieve improvement:
- Engineering productivity relies on the use of appropriate tools and technologies that facilitate the engineering process. This can include different IDE, simulation tools, automation, project management software, version control systems, and other specialized tools for specific engineering disciplines.
- Engineering teams processes which include agile methodologies, lean principles, or other process frameworks to streamline workflows and maximize output.
- Automation level which plays a significant role in engineering productivity. Automation of repetitive or time-consuming tasks will allow engineers to focus on more complex and value-added activities. This can include automating software testing, code generation, documentation, monitoring and data analysis.
- Effective collaboration and communication among team members are essential for engineering productivity. Open and healthy communication especially between different teams and functions is essential. This can be achieved through the use of collaboration tools, regular meetings, clear communication channels, and fostering a culture of knowledge sharing.
- Metrics and Measurement are crucial to identify areas for improvement and track progress. Metrics such as cycle time (In Progress to Done), Actual vs. planned, automation level, regressions, production availability / uptime and customer satisfaction can provide insights into the effectiveness of engineering processes and guide efforts to enhance productivity.
Overall, engineering productivity is about optimizing the engineering process, empowering engineers with the right tools and resources, and fostering a collaborative and efficient work environment to deliver high-quality products or solutions in a timely manner.
As always, if more info or help are needed feel free to reach out at info@ngoconsulting.co
