How to Build a Software Engineering Insights Strategy [On-Demand Webinar]

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June 2, 2025
6 min read

Why a Strategy Matters

At the heart of every successful software engineering team is a drive for three things:

1. A culture of continuous improvement
2. The ability to move from idea to impact quickly, frequently, and with confidence
3. A software organization delivering meaningful value

These goals sound simple enough, but in reality, achieving them requires more than just wishing for better performance. It takes data, action, and, most importantly, a cultural shift. Without a clear, aligned strategy, you're not just wasting resources—you’re creating frustration across the entire organization.

Step 1: Define Your Purpose

The first step in any successful engineering insights strategy is defining why you're doing this in the first place. One way I recommend approaching this is through the "Five Whys" technique. Understanding that purpose helps avoid unnecessary distractions and lets you focus on solving the real issue.

Step 2: Understand Your People

You have to consider:

1. Who will be using the developer productivity tool/insights platform?
2. Are these hands-on developers or executives looking for high-level insights?
3. Who else in the organization might need access to the data, like finance or operations teams?

Ensure the right people are in place to keep the data relevant as the organization evolves.

Step 3: Define Your Process

What do you expect people to do with the data once it’s available? Focusing on metrics without a clear action plan can lead to misguided efforts. Start with identifying a problem and develop a hypothesis to test.

Step 4: Program and Rollout Strategy

Design a value loop within a smaller team first. Once you've succeeded on a smaller scale, share success stories and roll it out more broadly.

Step 5: Choose Your Platform Wisely

The platform is the last piece of the puzzle. It should align with your strategy, not the other way around. Understanding your purpose, people, and process before evaluating platforms is crucial.

Looking Ahead

For a successful engineering insights strategy, it’s not merely about having a tool. A strong strategy involves the right people, a well-defined process, and effective program rollout. Ultimately, this will drive meaningful change and improvement in your organization.

Want to build a tailored engineering insights strategy for your enterprise organization? Get expert recommendations at our free insights strategy workshop. Register here.

Andrew Gassen is an expert in helping organizations navigate engineering insights strategies effectively.