Key Findings from Google DORA 2021 Accelerate State of DevOps Report

Software Delivery Performance Metrics

Four Metrics Remain Valid

Building on previous DORA findings, the report continues to use four key software delivery metrics—deployment frequency, lead time for changes, mean time to restore, and change failure rate—to classify teams as elite, high, medium, or low performers.

This year elite teams accelerated delivery, achieving change lead times of <1 hour (up from <1 day), deployment frequency 973 times higher than low‑performing teams, pre‑deployment cycles 6,570 times faster, change failure rates three times lower, and restoration times 6,570 times quicker.

These results demonstrate that DevOps improvements enable elite teams to consistently deliver superior organizational outcomes.

Fifth Metric: From Availability to Reliability

Previously the focus was on availability; the 2021 survey expands measurement to reliability, encompassing availability, latency, performance, and scalability. Respondents rated their ability to meet or exceed reliability goals, and teams that prioritize operational performance see better results.

2021 Insights

1. Healthy Team Culture Mitigates Burnout During Crises

Respondents working from home during the pandemic reported higher burnout than office‑based peers, but inclusive teams with a generative culture experienced roughly half the burnout.

2. Top Performers Continue Raising the Bar

Compared with 2019, elite and high‑performing teams now represent two‑thirds of respondents, while low and medium performers account for 56 %. The industry’s accelerating adoption of DevOps principles yields tangible benefits.

3. SRE and DevOps Are Complementary

SRE provides practical techniques such as SLI/SLO frameworks that enhance a team’s ability to meet user commitments. Teams that excel in modern operations practices are 1.4 times more likely to achieve superior software delivery and operations performance and 1.8 times more likely to realize better business outcomes.

4. Cloud Adoption Continues to Drive Performance

Teams leveraging all five cloud capabilities see higher SDO and organizational performance. Multi‑cloud adoption further boosts the likelihood of exceeding performance goals by 1.6 times.

5. A Secure Software Supply Chain Is Critical and Performance‑Driving

Security must be integrated throughout the software development lifecycle. Elite teams that meet reliability goals are twice as likely to embed security practices early, enabling rapid, safe delivery of reliable software.

6. High‑Quality Documentation Underpins DevOps Success

Teams with superior internal documentation are 3.8 times more likely to adopt security best practices and 2.5 times more likely to fully leverage cloud potential.

Google Announces DevOps Awards

Google Cloud invites participants to submit entries showcasing how DevOps transformed their organizations, recognizing achievements in deployment frequency, security posture, and reduced change failure rates.

Thank you to all 2021 survey participants; the Accelerate State of DevOps report aims to help organizations of all sizes, industries, and regions improve their DevOps capabilities.