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7 examples of Quality Assurance Engineer metrics and KPIs

What are Quality Assurance Engineer metrics?

Finding the right Quality Assurance Engineer metrics can be daunting, especially when you're busy working on your day-to-day tasks. This is why we've curated a list of examples for your inspiration.

You can copy these examples into your preferred app, or alternatively, use Tability to stay accountable.

Find Quality Assurance Engineer metrics with AI

While we have some examples available, it's likely that you'll have specific scenarios that aren't covered here. You can use our free AI metrics generator below to generate your own strategies.

Examples of Quality Assurance Engineer metrics and KPIs

Metrics for Assessing software quality

  • 1. defect density

    Defect density measures the number of defects per unit of software size, usually per thousand lines of code (KLOC)

    What good looks like for this metric: 1-5 defects per KLOC

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Improve code reviews
    • Implement automated testing
    • Enhance developer training
    • Increase test coverage
    • Use static code analysis
  • 2. code coverage

    Code coverage measures the percentage of code that is executed by automated tests

    What good looks like for this metric: 70-80%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Write more unit tests
    • Implement integration testing
    • Use better testing tools
    • Collaborate closely with QA team
    • Regularly refactor code for testability
  • 3. mean time to resolve (MTTR)

    MTTR measures the average time taken to resolve a defect once it has been identified

    What good looks like for this metric: Less than 8 hours

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Streamline incident management process
    • Automate triage tasks
    • Improve defect prioritization
    • Enhance developer expertise
    • Implement rapid feedback loops
  • 4. customer-reported defects

    This metric counts the number of defects reported by end users or customers

    What good looks like for this metric: Less than 1 defect per month

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Implement thorough user acceptance testing
    • Conduct regular beta tests
    • Enhance support and issue tracking
    • Improve customer feedback channels
    • Use user personas in development
  • 5. code churn

    Code churn measures the amount of code changes over a period of time, indicating stability and code quality

    What good looks like for this metric: 10-20%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Encourage smaller, iterative changes
    • Implement continuous integration
    • Use version control effectively
    • Conduct regular code reviews
    • Enhance change management processes

Metrics for Tracking Quality of Code

  • 1. Code Coverage

    Measures the percentage of your code that is covered by automated tests

    What good looks like for this metric: 70%-90%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Increase unit tests
    • Use code coverage tools
    • Refactor complex code
    • Implement test-driven development
    • Conduct code reviews frequently
  • 2. Code Complexity

    Assesses the complexity of the code using metrics like Cyclomatic Complexity

    What good looks like for this metric: 1-10 (Lower is better)

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Simplify conditional statements
    • Refactor to smaller functions
    • Reduce nested loops
    • Use design patterns appropriately
    • Perform regular code reviews
  • 3. Technical Debt

    Measures the cost of additional work caused by choosing easy solutions now instead of better approaches

    What good looks like for this metric: Less than 5%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Refactor code regularly
    • Avoid quick fixes
    • Ensure high-quality code reviews
    • Update and follow coding standards
    • Use static code analysis tools
  • 4. Defect Density

    Calculates the number of defects per 1000 lines of code

    What good looks like for this metric: Less than 1 defect/KLOC

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Implement thorough testing
    • Increase peer code reviews
    • Enhance developer training
    • Use static analysis tools
    • Adopt continuous integration
  • 5. Code Churn

    Measures the amount of code that is added, modified, or deleted over time

    What good looks like for this metric: 10-20%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Stabilise project requirements
    • Improve initial code quality
    • Adopt pair programming
    • Reduce unnecessary refactoring
    • Enhance documentation

Metrics for Backend Developer Performance

  • 1. Code Quality

    Measures the standards of the code written by the developer using metrics like cyclomatic complexity, code churn, and code maintainability index

    What good looks like for this metric: Maintainability index above 70

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Conduct regular code reviews
    • Utilise static code analysis tools
    • Adopt coding standards and guidelines
    • Refactor code regularly to reduce complexity
    • Invest in continuous learning and training
  • 2. Deployment Frequency

    Evaluates the frequency at which a developer releases code changes to production

    What good looks like for this metric: Multiple releases per week

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Automate deployment processes
    • Use continuous integration and delivery pipelines
    • Schedule regular release sessions
    • Encourage modular code development
    • Enhance collaboration with DevOps teams
  • 3. Lead Time for Changes

    Measures the time taken from code commit to deployment in production, reflecting efficiency in development and delivery

    What good looks like for this metric: Less than one day

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Streamline the code review process
    • Optimise testing procedures
    • Improve communication across teams
    • Automate build and testing workflows
    • Implement parallel development tracks
  • 4. Change Failure Rate

    Represents the proportion of deployments that result in a failure requiring a rollback or hotfix

    What good looks like for this metric: Less than 15%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Implement thorough testing before deployment
    • Decrease batch size of code changes
    • Conduct post-implementation reviews
    • Improve error monitoring and logging
    • Enhance rollback procedures
  • 5. System Downtime

    Assesses the total time that applications are non-operational due to code changes or failures attributed to backend systems

    What good looks like for this metric: Less than 0.1% downtime

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Invest in high availability infrastructure
    • Enhance real-time monitoring systems
    • Regularly test system resilience
    • Implement effective incident response plans
    • Improve software redundancy mechanisms

Metrics for Backend Developer Performance

  • 1. Code Quality

    Measures the frequency and severity of bugs detected in the codebase.

    What good looks like for this metric: Less than 10 bugs per 1000 lines of code

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Implement regular code reviews
    • Use static code analysis tools
    • Provide training on best coding practices
    • Encourage test-driven development
    • Adopt a peer programming strategy
  • 2. Deployment Frequency

    Tracks how often code changes are successfully deployed to production.

    What good looks like for this metric: Deploy at least once a day

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Automate the deployment pipeline
    • Reduce bottlenecks in the process
    • Regularly publish small, manageable changes
    • Incentivise swift yet comprehensive testing
    • Improve team communication and collaboration
  • 3. Mean Time to Recovery (MTTR)

    Measures the average time taken to recover from a service failure.

    What good looks like for this metric: Less than 1 hour

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Develop a robust incident response plan
    • Streamline rollback and recovery processes
    • Use monitoring tools to detect issues early
    • Conduct post-mortems and learn from failures
    • Enhance system redundancy and fault tolerance
  • 4. Test Coverage

    Represents the percentage of code which is tested by automated tests.

    What good looks like for this metric: 70% to 90%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Implement continuous integration with testing
    • Educate developers on writing effective tests
    • Regularly update and refactor out-of-date tests
    • Encourage a culture of writing tests
    • Utilise behaviour-driven development techniques
  • 5. API Response Time

    Measures the time taken for an API to respond to a request.

    What good looks like for this metric: Less than 200ms

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Optimize database queries
    • Utilise caching effectively
    • Reduce payload size
    • Use load balancing techniques
    • Profile and identify performance bottlenecks

Metrics for Quality and Reliability

  • 1. Defect Density

    Measures the number of defects per unit size of the software, usually per thousand lines of code

    What good looks like for this metric: 1-10 defects per KLOC

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Implement code reviews
    • Increase automated testing
    • Enhance developer training
    • Use static code analysis tools
    • Adopt Test-Driven Development (TDD)
  • 2. Mean Time to Failure (MTTF)

    Measures the average time between failures for a system or component during operation

    What good looks like for this metric: Varies widely by industry and system type, generally higher is better

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Conduct regular maintenance routines
    • Implement rigorous testing cycles
    • Enhance monitoring and alerting systems
    • Utilise redundancy and failover mechanisms
    • Improve codebase documentation
  • 3. Customer-Reported Incidents

    Counts the number of issues or bugs reported by customers within a given period

    What good looks like for this metric: Varies depending on product and customer base, generally lower is better

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Engage in proactive customer support
    • Release regular updates and patches
    • Conduct user feedback sessions
    • Improve user documentation
    • Monitor and analyse incident trends
  • 4. Code Coverage

    Indicates the percentage of the source code covered by automated tests

    What good looks like for this metric: 70-90% code coverage

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Increase unit testing
    • Use automated testing tools
    • Adopt continuous integration practices
    • Refactor legacy code
    • Integrate end-to-end testing
  • 5. Release Frequency

    Measures how often new releases are deployed to production

    What good looks like for this metric: Depends on product and development cycle; frequently updated software is often more reliable

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Adopt continuous delivery
    • Automate deployment processes
    • Improve release planning
    • Reduce deployment complexity
    • Engage in regular sprint retrospectives

Metrics for Effective Delivery for Waterfall Team

  • 1. Planned vs Actual Delivery Dates

    This metric compares the initially planned delivery dates to the actual delivery dates to assess the team's ability to meet deadlines

    What good looks like for this metric: 80% of projects delivered on time

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Conduct detailed planning sessions
    • Implement regular progress reviews
    • Improve risk management practices
    • Enhance communication within the team
    • Optimise resource allocation
  • 2. Scope Creep

    Measures the changes and additions in the project scope after the project has commenced, indicating how often the team deviates from the original plan

    What good looks like for this metric: Less than 5% increase in scope

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Establish clear project requirements
    • Implement strict change control processes
    • Engage stakeholders early and often
    • Document all changes meticulously
    • Maintain a project scope baseline
  • 3. Budget Variance

    This metric tracks the difference between the budgeted costs and the actual costs incurred, indicating financial planning accuracy

    What good looks like for this metric: Less than 10% budget overrun

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Conduct thorough budget forecasting
    • Monitor expenditures closely
    • Implement cost control measures
    • Review financial reports regularly
    • Optimise purchasing processes
  • 4. Defect Density

    Measures the number of defects identified within a certain timeframe or phase of the project, reflecting product quality

    What good looks like for this metric: Fewer than 1 defect per 1000 lines of code

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Enhance testing processes
    • Implement automated testing tools
    • Provide training on quality standards
    • Review code regularly
    • Incorporate quality assurance in each phase
  • 5. Customer Satisfaction

    Assesses the stakeholders' and customers' satisfaction with the delivered project through surveys and feedback mechanisms

    What good looks like for this metric: Customer satisfaction score above 8 out of 10

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Gather customer feedback regularly
    • Act on the feedback received
    • Improve stakeholder communication
    • Deliver regular project updates
    • Ensure project deliverables meet expectations

Metrics for Effective Delivery for Waterfall Team

  • 1. On-Time Delivery Rate

    The percentage of projects delivered on or before their scheduled deadlines

    What good looks like for this metric: 85-90%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Set realistic deadlines based on project complexity
    • Utilise Gantt charts for better timeline management
    • Track progress regularly against the schedule
    • Engage in proactive risk management
    • Ensure resource availability and skill alignment
  • 2. Budget Adherence

    The percentage of projects completed within the allocated budget

    What good looks like for this metric: 85-95%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Conduct thorough cost estimation
    • Monitor expenses in real-time
    • Implement change control procedures
    • Secure contingency funds for unforeseen costs
    • Regularly review budget utilisation
  • 3. Scope Creep

    The amount of unplanned work and changes in scope that occur during the project lifecycle

    What good looks like for this metric: Less than 10%

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Define clear project scope documentation
    • Establish a formal change request process
    • Engage stakeholders early and often
    • Track scope changes meticulously
    • Utilise scope management tools
  • 4. Client Satisfaction

    The level of client satisfaction measured through surveys and feedback, typically scored on a scale of 1-5

    What good looks like for this metric: 4.0 or higher

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Conduct regular client check-ins
    • Act on feedback promptly
    • Set realistic client expectations from the start
    • Maintain transparent communication
    • Deliver all promised features and functionalities
  • 5. Defect Density

    The number of defects found per unit of product, often measured per 1,000 lines of code

    What good looks like for this metric: Less than 5 defects per 1,000 lines of code

    Ideas to improve this metric
    • Implement thorough testing phases
    • Conduct code reviews regularly
    • Utilise automated testing tools
    • Provide adequate training for developers
    • Establish clear coding standards

Tracking your Quality Assurance Engineer metrics

Having a plan is one thing, sticking to it is another.

Setting good strategies is only the first challenge. The hard part is to avoid distractions and make sure that you commit to the plan. A simple weekly ritual will greatly increase the chances of success.

A tool like Tability can also help you by combining AI and goal-setting to keep you on track.

Tability Insights DashboardTability's check-ins will save you hours and increase transparency

More metrics recently published

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Planning resources

OKRs are a great way to translate strategies into measurable goals. Here are a list of resources to help you adopt the OKR framework:

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