The Need for Speed | 2025 Engineering Benchmarks
The surprising connection between cycle time and software quality.
Want to ship better software? Get in the fast lane.
This week, hosts Ben Lloyd Pearson and Andrew Zigler open the episode with a discussion of some of the topics dominating the tech news cycle, like Microsoft's restructuring to focus on AI, the TikTok ban in the U.S., and (of course) a status check on New Year's resolutions.
Then, joined by Dan Lines, they shift their focus to the 2025 Engineering Benchmarks Report by LinearB. This in-depth conversation explores the crucial link between developer experience and productivity, the impact of project management hygiene on development, and new metrics like PR maturity and project traceability.
Within this data-driven discussion, uncover key insights like:
how smaller PRs boost velocity and quality
connection between longer cycle times and change failure rates
the ideal investment profiles for engineering teams
"The most critical aspect is that you don't under-invest in DevEx. You should know how much you're investing over the long term in DevEx because if you're under-investing, you'll start to see things like unexpected work creep into your sprints, and other things that directly impact your organization's ability to continuously produce new value."
The Download
The Download is how great teams get even better. 🤝
1. TikTok bans and the deeper data debate 🔍
When it comes to the will-it-or-won’t-it TikTok ban, the ban itself isn’t the real issue. The larger problem is the lack of comprehensive data privacy laws, ones that apply not just to foreign entities but also to domestic companies. For engineering leaders, this raises a pressing question: how do we design systems that prioritize data ethics, regardless of jurisdiction?
Read: TikTok, AliExpress, SHEIN & Co surrender Europeans’ data to authoritarian China
2. Three decades of change in three years 🌌
Microsoft announced new CoreAI division in a recent memo. Led by Jay Parikh of Meta, the now-combined Dev Div and AI platform team will reshape how Microsoft engineers will build its platforms, products, and infrastructure. The memo puts it powerfully:
“Thirty years of change is being compressed into three years!”
Read: Microsoft creates new AI engineering group led by former Meta executive
Why 2025 could break developer productivity 📉 (sponsored)
A recent blog post from LinearB CEO Ori Keren explores why the mounting complexity of tools, workflows, and demands might make 2025 a breaking point for developer productivity. But it’s not all doom and gloom. He shares actionable insights to help engineering leaders simplify processes, measure what matters, and future-proof your teams. If you’re staring down an overloaded roadmap for the year (and who isn’t?), then give this one a read.
Read: 2025 Will Break Developer Productivity. Here’s How to Fight Back.
Upcoming virtual events 🎪💻
Beyond the DORA Frameworks
In this 35-minute workshop, we'll be exploring how 300+ CTOs, VPEs and Managers have moved from academic frameworks to impact-based data practices in their engineering organizations.
This event was made possible by the survey responses of the Refactoring and Dev Interrupted communities. Thank you for participating to make this event possible! Now it’s time to soak up the insights.
RSVP today learn actionable steps that align metrics with team goals and drive real impact.
Sessions
11am ET on January 29, 2025
11am GMT on January 30, 2025
