Oleh Anfimov

As an engineering manager, you need to know which metrics to use and how to interpret them to keep delivery predictable and spot problems early.

A good metric helps you spot risks, make informed decisions, or start a conversation with your team. A metric that only tracks activity creates noise and can lead you to the wrong conclusions.

I use three groups of metrics in my daily work:

• Delivery metrics
• Backlog health metrics
• Product and platform health metrics

Together, they help me understand whether the team is delivering predictably, whether work is becoming blocked or outdated, and whether the product remains reliable.

Introduction

Most teams do not struggle because they lack work. They struggle because they lack focus, alignment, and a clear way to measure progress.

This is where OKRs can help.

OKRs have been used for decades. They were introduced by former Intel CEO Andy Grove and were influenced by the Management by Objectives framework, also known as MBO.

Since then, OKRs have been adopted by thousands of companies to achieve business goals and align teams around priorities and strategy. However, there are still many myths and misunderstandings around the framework. For many leaders, it is still unclear how OKRs can help their teams succeed, develop their skills, and take more ownership.