> Why do line managers want this info? Do you think they have someone in mind for promotion, and they are looking for metrics of accomplishment?
Nah, you don't need to assume malice :)
Most times it was managers with good intentions, not realizing that those metrics were either pointless (e.g. how much code / commits does $person do), or toxic, in the sense that it leads the team to game metrics, that it prevents the manager to actually understand why the values are what they are, that it opens the risk to link them to promotions and perf reviews etc.
Explaining them all this was generally enough!
> And, cynically, I would say that senior managers don't care... because to them, most hands-on engineers/devs are fungible. What is your view about why the upper levels never ask for it?
Actually that wasn't the case. AFAIK (I left at some point, but kept a bit in touch with former colleagues) upper management started using some of those metrics to set organizational objectives.
Again, same argument. You don't need to assume malice. Management has a legit interest in engineering productivity. What happens most of the time is that they don't know how to measure it in an effective way, or how to use it to drive organizational change. Providing guidance is part of your job as a Platform eng.
Nah, you don't need to assume malice :)
Most times it was managers with good intentions, not realizing that those metrics were either pointless (e.g. how much code / commits does $person do), or toxic, in the sense that it leads the team to game metrics, that it prevents the manager to actually understand why the values are what they are, that it opens the risk to link them to promotions and perf reviews etc.
Explaining them all this was generally enough!
> And, cynically, I would say that senior managers don't care... because to them, most hands-on engineers/devs are fungible. What is your view about why the upper levels never ask for it?
Actually that wasn't the case. AFAIK (I left at some point, but kept a bit in touch with former colleagues) upper management started using some of those metrics to set organizational objectives.
Again, same argument. You don't need to assume malice. Management has a legit interest in engineering productivity. What happens most of the time is that they don't know how to measure it in an effective way, or how to use it to drive organizational change. Providing guidance is part of your job as a Platform eng.