Martin Fowler on
metrics:
Metrics have a purpose and a place in organizations and teams. They cannot be
used as a substitute for thinking. Nor can organizations think management by
numbers is enough for effective software delivery. Organizations must be
vigilant against the undesirable behaviors that emerge due to the inappropriate
use of metrics.
Use the following guidelines to lead you to a more appropriate use of metrics:
1. Explicitly link metrics to goals
2. Favor tracking trends over absolute numbers
3. Use shorter tracking periods
4. Change metrics when they stop driving change
