Chapter 2. Measuring What Coders Do
Never mistake activity for achievement.
—John Wooden, UCLA men’s basketball coach, 1946–1975
What are metrics about? How can they help? How are they used elsewhere and how might they be applicable to coders and software development teams?
This chapter begins to explore the general purpose of metrics, and the qualities that make certain metrics relevant and useful, and others not. I will discuss various patterns and noteworthy information that metrics can help you identify and understand. I’ll also look at various types of data you can use, along with ways you can gather the data and ensure that it is as accurate and consistent as possible. The concepts covered here provide a basic introduction to the key concepts of metrics and will serve as a basis for further discussions through the remainder of this book.
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