How to build a business case for your DevEx initiative

Securing buy-in for developer experience (DevEx) initiatives can be challenging, even for seasoned leaders. Yet, research consistently shows that strong DevEx drives business success. Organizations with high-quality DevEx are better positioned to achieve their engineering and business goals.

This guide offers a clear framework to help you build a compelling business case for your DevEx initiatives. Plus, we’ve created a free, downloadable template to simplify the process. Use it to outline your proposal, align it with business priorities, and craft a persuasive argument. Download it here.

Getting buy-in

When seeking buy-in for a Developer Experience (DevEx) initiative, presenting a well-thought-out game plan demonstrates that you’ve not only identified a problem but also invested time and effort into crafting a viable solution. Here’s how to approach it effectively:

Identify what leadership cares about: Start by understanding your leaders’ key concerns. Are they focused on accelerating delivery, cutting costs, or improving operational efficiency? Position your proposal as a solution and complement to their existing priorities.
Frame the problem clearly: Define the problem in a way that resonates:
1. What’s the issue? (e.g., “Engineers spend 25% of their time fixing broken pipelines”)
2. What’s the cost (time, money, or productivity)? (e.g., “Only 60% of engineering time is spent on feature work due to inefficiencies in tooling.”)
3. What’s the impact on business goals? (e.g., “This delays product delivery by X days”).
4. If you can’t summarize the problem in a concise, 30-second pitch, consider revising your framing.
Keep your plan focused: Propose a time-bound initiative (1-2 quarters) with specific, measurable outcomes. Show that the initiative is ambitious enough to matter but scope for success.
Make it a competition: Leaders don’t want to lag behind competitors. Use benchmarks and industry data to demonstrate how your company stacks up and why action is needed to stay ahead.

For a deeper dive on getting buy-in for developer productivity initiatives, see our guide.

Craft a proposal

A strong proposal follows a logical structure: Why, What, and How.

Start with why (the business case)

Explain why the initiative matters now, using a combination of urgency, impact, and alignment with business goals.

Key components:

Urgency: Why does this need to happen immediately?
Cost: What is the current problem costing the business?
Alignment: How does solving this problem advance key business objectives?

Example:

Problem: 60% of code changes sit awaiting review for more than one day, 15% slower than the industry benchmark.
Impact: Delayed code reviews are a top-3 blocker for developer velocity, affecting delivery timelines.
Urgency: Fixing this now aligns with the company’s goal of reducing time-to-market for key products.

Define what (the goal)

What exactly are you proposing? Clearly articulate what success looks like. Use the SMART framework to ensure your goals are actionable:

Specific: Clearly define the problem and the solution in clear terms.
Measurable: Set tangible success metrics.
Achievable: Ensure the goal is realistic.
Relevant: Align with broader business objectives.
Time-bound: Create urgency with a defined timeline.

Leveraging a framework also allows you to be prepared to address common pushbacks. Be prepared for and anticipate potential objections. Common concerns might include:

Budget: Highlight cost-saving and benefits or trade-offs (e.g., reducing developer attrition or improving efficiency).
Prioritization: Emphasize how the initiative aligns with current business goals or mitigates long-term risks.
ROI concerns: Present benchmarks and past successes to demonstrate likely outcomes.

Example goals for Q3:

Reduce code review to below the top 10 pain points.
Achieve a 75th percentile industry benchmark for review times (1 business day).
Improve developer sentiment scores above the 75th percentile.

Outline how (the strategy that will get you there)

Outline the strategies that will achieve the goal. There are many, but below are some of the common tools and techniques that we’ve found important:

Executive sponsorship: Secure a champion at the leadership level to align your initiative with business priorities and ensure organizational buy-in.
Scorecards: Use scorecards to track progress and highlight key metrics tied to success.
Monthly Reviews: Schedule monthly check-ins to assess progress, address roadblocks, and refine the approach as needed.
Solution rollout: Introduce and implement solutions designed to address the root causes of the problem effectively.
Enablement: Equip your team with best practices, training, and resources to maximize adoption and impact. DX Atlas can provide a good starting point.
Case studies: Share examples of successful initiatives from similar organizations. Case studies inspire confidence, instill credibility, and create a sense of FOMO that can drive urgency and action.

Examples:

Suggested best practices for improving code review cycle times:

Synchronous code review: Encourage reviewers to tackle PRs during dedicated review sessions to reduce delays and improve feedback quality.
Automatic Slack reminders using DX Frontline: Automate follow-ups for outstanding code reviews to keep processes moving and maintain accountability.
Define a team guideline for PR size: Establish clear limits on PR size to make reviews faster, easier, and more effective.

With a well-framed proposal and the right tools, you’re ready to secure buy-in and drive meaningful change for your organization.