Outsourcing without tracking means flying blind. But tracking with intrusive dashboards kills the relationship and wastes time. The right balance comes down to a few outcome-oriented KPIs, read with judgement. Here's which to track — and which to ignore.
The principle: measure value, not activity
The temptation is to measure what's easy to count: hours worked, lines of code, tickets closed. The problem is that these numbers measure activity, not value. A developer can produce a lot of mediocre code, or a little excellent code. Good KPIs look at the result.
The three families of useful KPIs
1. Predictability
The most telling indicator: the gap between estimated and delivered. A healthy engagement delivers roughly what was planned, within the announced timeline. Repeated gaps signal either an estimation problem or an unreported blocker.
- Track: share of tasks delivered within the estimated time.
- Good sign: consistency, even if imperfect.
2. Quality
Quality is mostly measured after the fact:
bugs found after release in the developer's scope;
code-review feedback: a review that passes without major correction is a good sign;
stability: delivered code doesn't break other parts of the product.
Track: number of post-release incidents, share of reviews with no blocking feedback.
Good sign: a stable or declining trend over time.
3. Collaboration smoothness
Often neglected, yet it's what makes the difference over time:
response time in daily exchanges;
blockers flagged early rather than discovered at delivery;
participation in rituals (daily, reviews).
Track: qualitative, observed continuously rather than counted.
Good sign: the developer raises their hand before being blocked for a whole day.
KPIs to avoid
- Lines of code. More code isn't better; often the opposite.
- Logged hours. You pay for a result, not for presence.
- Tickets closed in isolation: a ticket can be trivial or major.
These metrics push people to optimise the wrong behaviour.
Reading KPIs without micromanaging
Three simple rules:
- Few indicators, well chosen. Three to five is enough.
- A trend, not a snapshot. A single bad number isn't a signal; a trend is.
- A KPI opens a conversation, it doesn't replace one. A gap is discussed in a regular check-in, not via a threatening email.
In summary
| Family | Good KPI | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Predictability | Estimated / delivered gap | — |
| Quality | Post-release bugs, clean reviews | Lines of code |
| Smoothness | Fast response, early blockers | Logged hours |
At MG Talents, this tracking is made easier by embedding the developer in your rituals and a single point of contact on the agency side. The two-week trial is in fact the first place these indicators become visible: you see real predictability, quality, and smoothness before any longer commitment.