DORA, SPACE, and DevEx: Which framework should you use?

This guide from DX CTO Laura Tacho cuts through the confusion surrounding the leading frameworks for measuring developer productivity — DORA, SPACE, and DevEx — by summarizing what each framework does and who should use it.

Understanding the common frameworks

DORA metrics revolutionized how we measure delivery performance, focusing on deployment frequency, lead time, change failure rate, and recovery time. While DORA is a great starting point, it only tells part of the productivity story.

The SPACE framework expanded our perspective by examining five critical dimensions: Satisfaction, Performance, Activity, Communication, and Efficiency. SPACE recognized that developer perception matters as much as workflow data.

The DevEx framework zeroed in on eliminating developer friction, with frequent feedback loops and a focus on reducing cognitive load to increase flow state.

The power of unification

The DX Core 4 framework unites the strengths of all three approaches, combining system-based data with developer experience feedback to measure four dimensions: speed, effectiveness, quality, and business impact.

Implemented at over 300 companies across industries, this framework provides a balanced set of metrics that prevent the common pitfalls of overindexing on any single measure.

A clear path forward

Different organizations need different approaches. Established platform teams benefit from focusing on effectiveness metrics that reveal friction points, while scaling startups may prioritize speed and impact measures. This guide will give teams a clear understanding of the framework that best suits their needs.