DORA & SPACE metrics: 2 templates, questions & 1 tool
Agile teams face the challenge of finding metrics that not only quantify progress, but also help to strengthen the team, improve collaboration and focus on customer needs. The so-called DORA DevOps metrics and the SPACE framework can help here.
We have already explained the background to these two models in a detailed article on LinkedIn and here on the blog (see: DORA and SPACE metrics and: Everything you need to know about DORA & SPACE).
In the following post, we have prepared two DORA templates and questions that you can use to start working on improving your delivery today.
Before we delve deeper into this, I would like to point out a key finding from DORA DevOps research that should not be forgotten amidst all the metrics:
“The most important finding from our years of research is that teams that embrace a mindset and practice of continuous improvement are able to achieve the best results.” - DORA Research Team, DORA Report 2023, p. 57
DORA Metrics: Template, Survey, Test, Questions
DORA DevOps Template Survey
Let’s start with a template for the four DORA DevOps key metrics. You can find the 4 questions for each DORA metric below. There are also 4 optional open questions that you can use in whole or in part in your retrospective.
Health Check Questions (Scale)
Open questions
So this is a simple template that you can use for a workshop or retrospective on the four DORA DevOps key metrics. Let’s move on to the SPACE framework.
A note in between: A simple, pragmatic but very helpful agile metric is the one shown in the video here. Agustina even shares the team data publicly from the whole of last year:
DORA Metrics: Template, Survey, Test, Questions
SPACE Metrics Template Survey
Equivalently, you can of course also use the SPACE framework to start improving your team based on data by asking a few questions directly in your retrospective. The following five SPACE questions will help you do this.
Health Check Questions (Scale)
So this is a simple template that you can use for a workshop or retrospective on the four DORA DevOps key metrics. Let’s move on to the SPACE framework.
DORA Metrics: Template, Survey, Test, Questions
SPACE & DORA Template in Echometer
As you have seen, you can run these templates with the Echometer software or the Echometer app in an online or hybrid team.
Echometer is a digital tool that helps agile team leads with agile retrospectives and team Health Checks. Whether remote, hybrid or on-site: it makes team coaching measurable and professionalizes your work while saving you a lot of work. Just take a look at our website to find out more: www.echometerapp.com.
DORA Metrics: Template, Survey, Test, Questions
Conclusion: DORA DevOps Monitoring
Agile metrics are far more than just numbers on a dashboard. They are a tool to give teams insights, improve their performance and continuously evolve. By recognizing that not all progress is quantifiable and that often the human aspects are just as important as the numerical data, we can ensure that our metrics not only tell us where we are, but also where we can go. Agile retrospectives on DORA and SPACE provide the optimal combination of metrics and the improvement mindset.
Lastly, another reminder: If you’d like to try out what it feels like to develop your team further with our tool, you can start an agile retrospective without logging in below, in this case the “Keep, Stop, Start” workshop.
Alternatively, simply forward our website to the responsible colleagues: www.echometerapp.com.
"Many team members are afraid to speak up!"
Solve this challenge
"We discover too many unexpected issues & bugs at a late stage!"
Solve this challenge
"Why does it sometimes take me hours to prepare a simple retrospective?"
Solve this challenge
