It's probably not only easy to measure, but the people obsessed with velocity are the ones usually measuring the business in numbers. They look at revenues, cost, number of initiatives, percentages of completion... it's their world of thinking.
True, but revenue and (partly) costs are also lagging indicators. Even on that level, other metrics matter more. Coincidentally, the same metrics as sensible product metrics: Customer value, Jobs to be done...
Maarten -- what would you say most often explains the obsession with velocity?
I'll go first:
- Easy to measure.
- Lack of trust the team is working hard enough.
The first is the most important one I suspect.
It's difficult to quantify a good meal, much easier to talk about points that give the illusion of control and importance.
It's probably not only easy to measure, but the people obsessed with velocity are the ones usually measuring the business in numbers. They look at revenues, cost, number of initiatives, percentages of completion... it's their world of thinking.
Yes, and I don't agree because if they care about numbers they should care about numbers that matter.
The alternative is hard to measure / come up with. Hence they settle for what is easy to measure.
Otherwise, what do you believe to be the reason they measure something that doesn't matter.
Perhaps also add the nuance that settling for "easy but unimportant and potentially misleading" metrics stems from:
1. A lack of understanding of how engineering drives value.
2. A lack of strong engineering leadership that address (1) in non-tech folks.
True, but revenue and (partly) costs are also lagging indicators. Even on that level, other metrics matter more. Coincidentally, the same metrics as sensible product metrics: Customer value, Jobs to be done...