Rework: A Key to Software Development Efficiency
Rework in software development refers to the process of modifying recently written code (with “recently” defined as within the past three weeks). This concept is essential for assessing and improving the quality and efficiency of a development team’s work.
For example, if you wrote 100 lines of code last week and this week you delete or modify 40 of them, then you’ve done 40% rework. On the other hand, changes to code written more than three weeks ago are not considered rework.
This metric is incredibly valuable for developers because it highlights insights that are typically hard to spot. With Teambit, these blind spots become visible.
Rework can be analyzed from three perspectives: personal rework (changes to code you originally wrote), rework on others’ code (changes to code written by other developers), and rework by others on your code (changes made by others to your work).
Personal Rework
Definition: Personal Rework measures the percentage of code lines a developer edits or deletes within the first three weeks of writing them.
Why it matters: This metric is critical for understanding the initial quality of a developer’s code. A high percentage of rework might suggest issues with code quality or unclear requirements. That said, a certain level of rework—7-15%—is normal and reflects the natural process of refining code.
How to interpret it:
< 7%: Could indicate excessive perfectionism in the initial code, potentially leading to long coding times and delaying the sharing of work with the team.
7-15%: Considered optimal, indicating a healthy balance between thoroughness and productivity.
> 15%: May suggest various issues, such as poorly defined requirements or untidy implementation.
Rework on Others’ Code
Definition: This metric measures the percentage of other developers’ code that is edited or deleted by a developer within the first three weeks.
Why it matters: It’s a key indicator of a developer’s role in reviewing and improving the team’s code. High levels of rework in this area can signal either productive collaboration or systemic quality issues.
How to interpret it:
< 7%: Indicates a well-balanced distribution of code review and maintenance tasks.
8-15%: Considered healthy, reflecting active involvement in improving team code.
> 15%: Could suggest excessive review work for one developer or highlight significant quality problems within the team.
Team Corrections
Definition: This metric measures the percentage of a developer’s code that is edited or deleted by other team members within the first three weeks.
Why it matters: This helps assess how a developer’s work impacts the team. High levels of team corrections may point to code that doesn’t meet team standards or communication gaps during the design phase.
How to interpret it:
< 7%: Suggests that the code typically meets team standards and requires minimal adjustments.
7-15%: Reflects healthy collaboration and an acceptable level of team adjustments and refinements.
> 15%: Indicates potential issues with code quality or unclear requirements that need to be addressed to avoid overburdening the team.
Conclusion
Analyzing rework from these three dimensions provides a comprehensive view of the quality and efficiency of a development team’s code. Keeping these metrics within healthy ranges helps identify improvement areas, balance workloads, and ensure a smooth, efficient development flow. At Teambit, we are committed to helping you leverage these metrics to optimize your team’s performance and achieve higher levels of productivity and quality in your software projects.
It’s important to interpret team contribution metrics within the specific context of your work. Depending on circumstances, responsibilities, or workflows, expected outcomes will vary for each team and its members.