Visibility into Engineering Pipeline Workflow
An organisation's ability to deliver high-quality software efficiently depends on how well our pipeline workflow functions. The pipeline is not just a technical process – it is the backbone of our delivery value stream, ensuring that code flows smoothly from development to production. To improve our visibility into this critical workflow, we are rolling out access to the four DORA (DevOps Research and Assessment) metrics across all engineering teams.
Introduction to DORA
The DevOps Research and Assessment (DORA) program was founded to study and identify the key factors that drive high performance in software development and operations. Since its inception, DORA has conducted rigorous research, analyzing thousands of engineering teams worldwide to determine what practices lead to better software delivery and operational excellence. Their findings have become the industry standard for measuring DevOps performance, helping organizations benchmark their processes against elite performers. Companies across industries use DORA metrics to drive improvements in speed, stability, and overall development efficiency.
Why Pipeline Workflow Matters
The pipeline workflow impacts everything from deployment speed to system reliability. When it functions efficiently, we reduce bottlenecks, lower defect rates, and improve time-to-market. More importantly, it provides a structured way to identify inefficiencies and drive continuous improvements.
Why Visibility Leads to Better Performance
Without clear visibility, inefficiencies can go unnoticed, and teams may struggle to diagnose blockers. By measuring key aspects of our pipeline, we empower teams to:
Identify and resolve bottlenecks before they slow down delivery.
Reduce lead times, improving responsiveness to customer needs.
Balance speed and stability, minimizing deployment risks.
Drive data-informed discussions rather than relying on gut feelings.
The Value of DORA Metrics
The four DORA metrics provide a standardized way to measure software delivery and operational performance:
Deployment Frequency – How often code is deployed to production.
Lead Time for Changes – The time it takes for a code change to go live.
Change Failure Rate – The percentage of deployments that result in failures requiring remediation.
Mean Time to Restore (MTTR) – How quickly failures are resolved.
By tracking these, we gain actionable insights into delivery speed, stability, and efficiency – all critical for high-performing teams.
When to Use DORA Metrics
Engineering leaders should refer to DORA metrics when:
Identifying areas for process improvement.
Diagnosing slowdowns in delivery cycles.
Benchmarking team performance against industry standards.
Making data-driven decisions on resource allocation.
Communicating delivery performance effectively to stakeholders.
Embedding DORA Metrics into Your Workflow
To maximize the value of DORA metrics, consider the following best practices:
Make metrics visible – Integrate dashboards into team workflows for easy access.
Use trends, not just snapshots – Focus on long-term improvements rather than isolated data points.
Encourage ownership – Teams should review and discuss metrics regularly to drive continuous improvement.
Balance speed and quality – Optimize for both fast delivery and stable operations.
Foster a learning culture – Treat metrics as a tool for growth, not as a performance ranking system.
Connecting to your High-Performance Culture
Integrating DORA metrics into your workflow aligns with your focus on strengthening your Developer Experience (DevEx), Agile, and DevOps best practices. Visibility into workflow efficiency enables your teams to make better decisions, improve autonomy, and align with our goal of continuous delivery and operational excellence. By embedding DORA metrics into your engineering culture, you create a feedback loop that helps teams become more adaptive, resilient, and high-performing.
View your Pipeline insights within Umano's unique lens on DORA Metrics.
View critical insights for your team's software delivery pipeline with Umano's unique ability to provide a snapshot view in its interval Tracker. Based on alerts tagged to any specific metric, diver deeper into the context of why a metric may be underperforming using your metric Chart page.