Connecting Mental Health and Productivity: A Metric Catalog for Software Development Teams

• Johny Arriel PUC-Rio
• Alessandro Garcia PUC-Rio
• Juliana Alves Pereira PUC-Rio

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/cbsoft_estendido.2026.29847

Resumo

Software developer productivity is shaped by technical, organizational, and individual factors, with mental health playing an important role in sustainable performance. This study investigates developers’ perceptions of metrics that jointly capture productivity and mental health. We first conducted a systematic mapping study that identified 99 factors associated with productivity and/or mental health. Based on these findings, we developed a catalog of 12 metrics. The catalog was evaluated through a mixed-methods study involving 47 software developers. The results indicate a broad recognition of the relevance and potential usefulness of the proposed metrics, while also revealing concerns about privacy, autonomy, surveillance, and their use for individual performance evaluation. In addition, the study provides an evidence-informed foundation for future empirical validation of the proposed metrics and for their responsible adoption in software organizations.

Palavras-chave: Software development, Mental health, Productivity, Metrics

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