What metrics are most important for you in measuring your team's performance?

[Mary Raleigh]

Do you care about velocity, sentiment, output, outcomes? A combo of all of the above? What's important to you in assessing your team's performance and how do you measure it? Surveys? Jira? Other tools? Excel?

[Jack Brickey]

5 likes and no comments? :-(

Here are some of the things I like to 'measure' - in order. Admittedly measuring can be difficult and if done incorrectly (?) can lead to bad things.

1. Team happiness - Is the team engaged in stand ups, reviews, discussions. Do I see smiles on peoples faces? Do I hear any hallway banter about others in the team? When I have 1-1 sessions are there any tale-tale signs of how the team is working together?
2. Velocity - I watch this over a very long stretch to observe trends. What happens when I add a new member or if someone leaves?
3. Retrospectives - When we hold these are team members contributing ideas on what to improve? Do they express genuine pleasure in our collective accomplishments
4. The numbers - how many stories, tasks, bugs did we get done

As you can see, I really like experience and gut feel. :-)

[Mary Raleigh]

@Jack Brickey , 1) love your emoji reminds me that I should rewatch that movie this week, 2) I'm a huge fan of, what I consider, to be a very well-rounded view of your team's effectiveness. 

What kind of signals do you look for in measuring team happiness?

[Jack Brickey]

@Mary Raleigh , certainly one of my favorite movies. 

It can certainly be a challenge to read people, especially their happiness but the longer you have known them the easier it becomes. I like 1-1s especially away from work e.g. lunch but 2020 has kicked that out the window. I look for changes in participation- late for or missing meetings, interactions with others during brainstorming sessions or similar, increase or decrease in work output. 

[Mary Raleigh]

Changes in participation is a great idea! I love that as an early signal, thanks so much @Jack Brickey !