Engineering Team Performance: Common Issues and Solutions

Struggling with engineering team performance? Key issues like poor communication, unclear goals, and workflow bottlenecks are common, but they’re fixable. Here’s a quick breakdown of what you need to know:

Top Challenges: Remote work communication gaps, lack of project direction, bottlenecks like slow code reviews, and burnout.
Key Metrics: Focus on lead time for changes, deployment frequency, time to restore service, and change failure rate (DORA metrics).
Solutions:
- Use Agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban, or hybrid) to break down tasks.
- Automate testing, deployments, and documentation to save time.
- Set clear, measurable goals and track progress.
- Build strong feedback loops to align teams and avoid burnout.

Quick Tip: Regularly review performance metrics and adjust workflows to maintain long-term productivity. Tools like Kindor can help streamline tracking and feedback.

Keep reading for actionable strategies to improve team efficiency and deliver better results.

Top Performance Barriers in Engineering Teams

Poor Team Communication

Hybrid and remote work setups require effective communication channels to avoid duplicated efforts and unexpected system issues. With the move to remote work, casual conversations and on-the-spot problem-solving have diminished significantly.

"Remote team leads should always be writing more, saying more, the usual FYIs that you wouldn't necessarily mention when you're in an office space…mention them out loud in a remote workspace." - CEO of Remote Job van der Voort

Studies indicate that audio-only calls can lead to more distractions in remote teams, whereas video meetings help maintain focus and productivity. Structured communication processes are essential to keep information organized and priorities aligned. Without them, teams often face confusion and inefficiency.

Missing Project Direction

Lack of clarity in project goals can derail a team's progress. Engineers who aren't clear on objectives may focus on less important features or make design choices that don't align with business needs.

Some common outcomes of unclear direction include:

Misguided technical decisions
Poor use of resources
Missed deadlines
Lower team morale

One-on-one meetings between managers and team members can help bridge these gaps. Mark Horstman, Host of the Manager Tools podcast, emphasizes their importance: "The single most powerful thing we know a manager can do to improve their relationship with direct reports and get better results."

Workflow Bottlenecks

Bottlenecks in development workflows can slow progress and frustrate team members. Here are a few common issues and how to address them:

Bottleneck	Impact	Solution
Slow code reviews	Delayed deployments, context switching	Set clear review processes and deadlines
Manual testing	Higher risk of errors, slower releases	Automate testing pipelines
Technical debt	Slower development, more bugs	Schedule regular refactoring sessions
Documentation gaps	Knowledge silos, onboarding delays	Use collaborative real-time documentation

Team Burnout Signs

High pressure and unclear work-life boundaries can lead to burnout. Warning signs include:

Declining code quality and rising technical debt
Missed deadlines and inaccurate time estimates
Less engagement in team discussions
Increased conflicts during code reviews

To address burnout, many teams introduce "focus time" blocks for uninterrupted work. Pairing these blocks with regular feedback and workload reviews helps maintain both productivity and team well-being.

Steps to Fix Team Performance Issues

Use Data and Agile Methods

Using data effectively can help identify and address performance issues. The DORA metrics framework, created by Dr. Forsgren's team, offers a better way to measure team performance than traditional metrics like lines of code or bug counts. These metrics focus on:

Lead time for changes
Deployment frequency
Time to restore service
Number of issues per change

Agile methods also help by breaking down large projects into smaller, easier-to-handle tasks. Here’s a quick overview of how different frameworks can benefit your team:

Framework	Benefits	Best For
Scrum	Fixed-length sprints, defined roles, regular meetings	Teams with steady workflows
Kanban	Visual task tracking, flexible workflows, continuous delivery	Teams managing unpredictable workloads
Hybrid	Combines benefits of both Scrum and Kanban	Complex projects with shifting priorities

These approaches establish a foundation for continuous improvement and automation.

Build Strong Feedback Loops

Once data-driven processes are in place, feedback becomes crucial for keeping things on track. Regular check-ins and scheduled focus sessions improve productivity and communication. Tools like Kindor provide real-time notifications and progress tracking, helping teams stay aligned without interrupting deep work.

Implement Smart Automation

Research shows developers spend only 32% of their time coding. Automation can free up more time by focusing on these areas:

CI/CD PipelineAutomating testing and deployments reduces manual work and minimizes errors.
Workflow ManagementIntegrated tools simplify task tracking and code reviews. Teams using modern collaboration tools have reported up to a 40% drop in unnecessary meetings.
Knowledge SharingAutomating documentation and centralizing information ensures everyone has access to the resources they need, cutting down on silos.

Set and Monitor Team Goals

To build on agile practices and automation, set clear, measurable goals to keep teams motivated and focused. Break larger objectives into smaller, sprint-aligned milestones, and track progress using performance tools. Key metrics to monitor include:

Sprint velocity
Code review times
Bug fixes
Team capacity

Regularly reviewing goals helps teams stay on track and adjust to changing needs. Use data to manage workloads, prevent burnout, and ensure steady progress toward objectives.

Track and Keep Improvements

Performance Measurement Basics

To measure engineering performance effectively, focus on metrics that combine technical results with business value, and ensure they're hard to manipulate. Google's DORA research highlights that top engineering teams typically achieve:

Lead times under 1 hour for changes
Service restoration within 1 hour
Change failure rates between 0-15%

Key metrics to track include:

Metric Type	What to Track	Why It Matters
Code Quality	Pull Request Cycle Time, Test Coverage	Reflects how efficiently teams deliver dependable code
Team Velocity	Story Points Completed, Diff Delta	Tracks actual work progress and codebase changes
Process Health	Change Coupling, OKR Achievement	Highlights technical debt and alignment with goals

These metrics provide insight into performance but also highlight the challenges of relying too heavily on numbers.

"When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure." - Goodhart's Law

Tools like Kindor's analytics dashboard can help track these metrics while keeping the broader performance trends in view.

Long-term Progress Steps

Maintaining high performance over time requires consistent tracking and adjustments. Regular measurement fosters steady improvement.

1. Regular Performance Reviews

Use Kindor's reports for bi-weekly metric reviews. Spot trends early and take action when performance dips.

2. Process Documentation

Create detailed workflows and runbooks to ensure recovery times stay under one hour.

3. Continuous Feedback Loop

"Engineering leaders know that simply tracking metrics isn't enough to reach objectives - teams need the tools to translate insights into outcomes." - Cortex

Kindor's real-time alerts make it easier to monitor critical metrics without interrupting the team's focus.

To keep metrics honest and avoid manipulation:

Let developers choose tasks from a "task marketplace" to reduce bias in story point allocation.
Keep an eye on how "critical defects" are designated to ensure failure rates remain accurate.
Use planning poker to improve the accuracy of time estimates.

Building a culture of continuous learning is essential for sustainable improvement. Kindor's integrations with tools like GitHub and Jira provide a full view of team performance while helping teams focus on long-term goals instead of short-term results.

Optimising Team Performance: Key Metrics to Track and ...

Conclusion

Addressing engineering team performance challenges calls for a structured, data-informed approach combined with effective leadership.

"Understanding why the team or individuals are not performing as they need to is fundamental to leading effectively. Once issues are understood, leaders must act." - Mark J Kingsfield

To drive performance improvements, focus on these practical strategies:

Focus Area	Impact	Key Action
Communication	Minimizes delays and misalignment	Use clear channels and schedule regular syncs
Goal Setting	Speeds up delivery	Define measurable OKRs with team involvement
Process Optimization	Boosts productivity	Apply data-driven workflow adjustments
Team Culture	Improves retention and morale	Establish supportive feedback mechanisms

These areas highlight essential steps for achieving both immediate results and sustainable progress. They emphasize the importance of clear communication, measurable goals, efficient workflows, and fostering a positive team environment.

Balancing technical metrics with human dynamics is key. Tailor metrics to suit your team's needs - whether that means focusing on reducing restore times to encourage ownership or extending lead times to support lean practices.

Kindor's analytics tools can provide the insights necessary to monitor these improvements, helping teams turn performance data into meaningful outcomes. By leveraging these tools, engineering teams can create a strong foundation for consistent success and measurable business results.