Create:Source Code North Star Metric

⭐️ North Star Metric

📖 Background and Overview

▶ Define your product feature's key benefit/value to customers

The code review feature allows users to review code, discuss changes, share knowledge, and identify defects in code among distributed teams via asynchronous review and commenting. Through the use of merge request users can implement efficient workflows to meet their needs.

🥅 Define north star metric that quantifies delivery of this "must have" value

Percentage of users per instance using MRs

This is comprised of unique users in the instance/namespace who:

  • creating an MR
  • commenting on an MR
  • merging an MR
  • closing an MR

We may also want to look at avg MR resolution time as a supporting metric in a subsequent iteration.

  • Once defined, please review with this checklist and iterate if needed
  • Does this support sustainable revenue growth?
  • Does this reflect customer getting value?
  • Does this measure progress?
  • Why do you pick this north star metric for your feature/group/stage?

Collaborating effectively is hard and having the right tools sometimes makes all the difference. We want to ensure that the value of the code review feature is so abundantly visible that users will not consider skipping use of MRs.

See periscope dashboard

Specifically, we will focus on:

  • Active instances: an instance is considered active if at least 1 merge request was created that month
  • Small, medium, and large instances: while we want to provide value for personal use, we want to focus on providing the most value to software teams who regularly make use of the merge requests feature. Classification as follows:

Small: 20+ active users
Medium: 100+ active users
Large: 1000+ active users

Monthly MRs created by instance (no longer used) 
![image](/uploads/a888db7c7c54dc5efbb04127847189a5/image.png)

The set of metrics that are input into north star metric, and by improving these, you improve NSM

❗ What do you need from the Telemetry/Data team?

  • The data is available but I need analytics to visualize/re-structure
  • The data is not available and I need to implement tracking
  • I don't know, need help to check whether this data exists or not
  • Please provide more details

We are planning to execute as follows:

  • instrument the number of users making use of MRs gitlab#215547 (closed)
  • create an issue in the data tracker in order to add this to data warehouse
  • create a new dashboard in sisense to track the metric
  • What is the data source for the proposed north star metric? (Link, Explanation of how this data is captured, etc)

The data is calculated from the version_usage_data_monthly_change table.

  • Who would be the best contact for the data source system? (Link or explanation)

@danielgruesso see dashboard here

🧩Answer these questions to provide more context

  • Any alternative north star metrics you would consider, either because they are easier to get, or you are debating between that and the proposed NSM?
    We started with total number of MRs across instances, however, these were not precise enough as they include inactive instances and also personal use instances/groups (who often don't use MRs but simply commit to master).

  • Does your feature play a bigger role in initial purchase, retention, or expansion/upgrade?
    Some features within merge request use (such as merge request approvals) are key factors for large teams in deciding on GitLab. A strong feature set has come to be expected of us here.

  • Does your feature play a bigger role in SMB sales, Enterprise sales, or both?
    Both. SMB and Enterprise sales need strong controls for making changes to their code base.

  • What are some dimensions you would expect to slice/dice your north star metric? For example, by plan tier, by free/paid, etc.

    • core vs paid (any tier)
    • by tier
    • by team size
    • by active instances

  • Are there any GitLab product features that are "downstream" or "upstream" to your product feature? For example, customers have to use feature A to use your feature, or once customers use your feature, they are more likely to use another feature.

  • Please attach a mock-up, drawing, or chart in another system that will think will allow you to make a data-driven decision for the propose metric. Link: ______

    • Please provide an example of how you would use the mock-up or chart to make the data-driven decision.

📈 Define Supporting KPI/metrics - [Optional]

  • Once defined, please review with this checklist and iterate if needed
  • Are these metrics an input into north star metric?
  • By improving these, do you improve the north star metric? --->
Edited by Daniel Gruesso