As someone who’s been in software engineering for 20+ years, having held every role from developer and architect to manager and CTO, I feel qualified in saying that the state of software engineering is immature, as proven by our consistently inconsistent results...
Not because the industry isn’t loaded with talent - far from it.
Rather, the industry is simply not equipped enough to handle the sheer complexity that software engineering brings.
Everywhere you look, engineering analytics tools are popping up, aiming to solve this, attempting to offer "visibility"... but what do they really provide?
Just metrics.
Metrics have their use - they can synthesize and clarify aspects of the development process. But they are not actionable and the moment you turn a metric into a goal, it becomes a playground for manipulation, and ceases to even be a good metric. We all know it.
We’ve all seen these metrics dance to any tune they like. And you, the leader are left trying to decipher fact from friction, wasting countless hours and resources in the process.
We've all been there, trudging through the dark and murky landscape of so-called visibility tools. The tools that promise results but really just give basic metrics like cycle time. In truth, these metrics only give one piece of a story at a time - they never paint a full picture.
Real visibility tells you exactly where your workflow is breaking down, specifically what areas need to be improved, and why.
Imagine trying to listen to a symphony through a brick wall - the song you hear is muffled, distorted, and anything but the complete harmony.
Sure, metrics are a valuable piece of the puzzle, but they are nothing without analysis and contextual insights to get actionable insights. These insights help you to see past surface level numbers, and understand exactly how the work gets done. These are the insights that you need to lead with clarity.
Now, we finally have the answer: VZBL. Created out of frustration with the dearth of anything useful in the ‘engineering analytics’ space, we’ve taken the bold step to solve this problem. Countless other industries have already made this step by the way, creating mature high-performing workflows powered by actionable data and operational intelligence. Our goal then, is finally bringing this whole new paradigm to software engineering.
So - how does it work?
Firstly, it’s important to note that we do NOT need another dashboard or data aggregator.
What we need is to see the inner workings of a team, and get the raw, unfiltered truth of what's really happening on a daily basis.
We need to see the real impact of individual behaviors, system complexities, and process inefficiencies. Things like the impact of focus time on product quality. Or the impact of delivery success based on code complexity. These insights exist and are just waiting for you to see them.
VZBL (pronounced ‘visible’, wink wink) is on a mission to cut through the noise and give software engineering leaders the power they never knew they had. The ability to see clearly, and make informed decisions that drive their teams to perform at an unexpectedly high level.
Visibility isn't just a buzzword either - it's the bedrock of better, smarter, and more effective software engineering. We have just begun our mission, and I hope in 5 years, even 10 years time, we are still pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in this space.
Join us—let's get real about transforming the landscape of software engineering together.
+++
Mission control for software engineering teams
