Github releases results of first empirical study of DevEx

Results show that improving developer experience matters more than you might think

Improving DevEx creates positive outcomes for individuals, teams and organisations

Github has released research into developer experience which claims to show, for the first time, statistical evidence proving that the combination of systems, technology, process and culture known as DevEx (also sometimes referred to as DevX or DX) has a tangible impact on development outcomes.

"DevEx is a developer-first mindset that looks at all components of a developer's ecosystem, from environment to workflows to tools, and asks how they're contributing to developer productivity, satisfaction, and business impact," says Eirini Kalliamvakou, Github researcher.

There are three key findings from the research.

The first involves the importance of flow state. Developers who had a significant amount of time carved out for deep work felt 50% more productive, and those who found their work more engaging felt 30% more productive.

The degree of cognitive load was also significant. Developers who find their tools and work processes intuitive and easy to use feel they are 50% more innovative, compared to those with opaque or hard-to-understand processes.

Finally, tight feedback loops resulted in developers reporting 50% less tech debt and faster code reviews helped developers feel 20% more innovative.

Optimising a developer's environment involves minimizing interruptions so they can focus and solve complex tasks, fostering connections so teams can be creative, and providing high-quality feedback so developers can make progress. By enabling more effective software delivery and developer happiness, organizations can see meaningful improvements in how they hire and retain engineering talent.

The findings seem intuitive. Of course enterprise software will be better of the people developing it can concentrate and collaborate effectively. However, in a blog post, Kalliamvakou writes:

"Despite the benefits, DevEx conversations usually end when execs ask for hard data on what their business will gain by improving it. While we have anecdotal evidence, we haven't had the data to satisfy this question—until now...New research uses statistical analysis to pinpoint how key DevEx factors—flow state, cognitive load, and feedback loops—impact individual, team, and organizational outcomes by improving productivity and innovation."

Diversity and impact of AI

Software engineering is arguably one of the least diverse areas of a distinctly non-diverse tech workforce. Could a focus on DevEx be one way to help to build more diverse teams? Speaking to Computing, Kalliamvakou says.

"We've seen that, in the right context, developer tools, processes, and workflows that are easy to use and understand can impact time, resources, and prior expertise needed to code. It's fair to say that in environments with better DevEx, engineering can become more diverse and inclusive of all software developers, regardless of their status or background.

"At GitHub, everyone is a part of the accessibility team and we're really trying to build accessibility into our entire product development process. Before we ship new features publicly, we always start with a staff ship, which gives Hubbers, including those with disabilities, a chance to use new features and provide feedback before making them generally available.

We've also built internal processes and workstreams to create a more inclusive work environment and shift accessibility left in our development process. We've also seen AI tools like GitHub Copilot and GitHub Copilot Chat significantly reduce the amount of time, effort, and discomfort it takes for developers with certain disabilities to code."

DevEx is about more than tools, but the tool still matter. Computing research has found early enthusiasm for the potential of generative AI in DevOps. It isn't the beginning and end of improved DevEx, but it is certainly a useful tool to have in the kitbag, as Kalliamvakou says:

"Developers see big benefits to AI - 70% believe AI coding tools offer an advantage at work and cite better code quality, completion time, and resolving incidents as top of the top benefits. Infusing AI across the software development lifecycle will meaningfully improve DevEx, from bringing faster code delivery, to improving collaboration in the codebase, to removing disruptions, delays, and cognitive load from the software development process."

However, tech leaders should proceed carefully and ensure that DevEx remains uppermost in decision makers minds.

"In the rush to embrace AI, it's critical that developers are kept in the loop. Leaders need to keep a pulse, whether through periodic surveys or dedicated DevEx teams, to ensure new tools and processes are uncovering points of friction, removing barriers to productivity, and creating opportunities for momentum and growth."