A software engineer’s outputs can be described by 2 parts:
- Work-related
- Non-work related
Work-related
Work-related outputs include:
- Code-related outputs like software features, bug fixes, tests, and documentation
- Reviews on pull requests and technical documentation
- Interactions in project management tools like GitHub, Jira, and Slack*
- Activities like standup, planning, retrospective, and pairing*
*Communication and collaboration can be considered as outputs.
Work-related outputs should deliver value to the end user that helps the business make money, save money, and/or improve processes. For example, building a feature that allows the user to purchase a product from the platform is a unit of work that improves the business’s bottom line.
Non-work related
Non-work related outputs include:
- HR tasks like quarterly review cycles and 360 reviews
- Training and certification
- Non-work meetings like team building and company events
Non-work related outputs do not deliver value to the user but they help the business and employees improve their functions. If non-work related matters are done correctly, it should enhance the work-related outputs. For example, getting certified in AWS can make the engineer more effective at releasing software.