Executive Reporting
How to Prove Engineering ROI to Non-Technical Stakeholders
Proving the return on investment (ROI) of engineering efforts is a critical yet ongoing challenge for leaders in software development. Engineering teams are often seen as cost centers due to their significant expenses, from salaries to infrastructure. However, the true business value created by these teams is often misunderstood or overlooked by non-technical stakeholders including executives, board members, finance leaders, and product owners.
Demonstrating engineering ROI is essential for securing continued investment, aligning business and technical goals, and showcasing the impact of the engineering team’s work. This guide explores how to make engineering value visible—and persuasive—for decision makers outside of R&D, using key developer productivity metrics, modern git analytics, and actionable communication tactics.
Story Points vs Cycle Time: Which Metric Should You Track?
In the world of software development, metrics are essential for understanding how your engineering teams operate, identifying areas for improvement, and aligning technical output with business objectives. Among the most frequently discussed metrics are story points and cycle time. While both serve critical functions in the development lifecycle, choosing the right metric to track can have a profound impact on developer productivity, team efficiency, and project outcomes.
This post explores story points and cycle time in depth, examines their pros and cons, and discusses which metric you should prioritize according to your team’s needs—and how platforms like Gitrolysis can help you get the actionable insights you need. Whether you’re an engineering manager, product owner, or executive seeking data-driven decisions, understanding these metrics is key to successfully guiding your teams.