DevEx: What actually drives productivity?

Traditional productivity metrics—like output or completion time—fail to capture the realities of software development. The real driver of productivity is Developer Experience (DevEx): the actual friction points developers encounter daily.

According to McKinsey, companies with stronger developer environments achieve up to 5x greater revenue growth than competitors. Yet most organizations lack a clear strategy for measuring and improving DevEx. This report introduces a structured framework to bridge that gap.

Measuring DevEx effectively

This report outlines a practical framework that combines developer feedback with system data to track and improve DevEx across three core dimensions. Tested in hundreds of organizations, these methods establish baselines, refine surveys, and guide meaningful improvements.

Strategies for reducing friction

Case studies from Block and Pfizer show how improving DevEx enables teams to release more frequently and significantly cut deployment times. Key strategies include improving feedback loops, reducing cognitive load, and minimizing disruptions to flow state.

A roadmap for implementation

This research provides a step-by-step approach to securing leadership buy-in, implementing targeted improvements, and measuring progress. Whether scaling an enterprise-wide initiative or driving team-level changes, this report offers a clear path to meaningful productivity gains.