English

SpaceX: Exploring metrics with the SPACE model for developer productivity

Software Engineering 2025-11-27 v1 Artificial Intelligence

Abstract

This empirical investigation elucidates the limitations of deterministic, unidimensional productivity heuristics by operationalizing the SPACE framework through extensive repository mining. Utilizing a dataset derived from open-source repositories, the study employs rigorous statistical methodologies including Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) and RoBERTa-based sentiment classification to synthesize a holistic, multi-faceted productivity metric. Analytical results reveal a statistically significant positive correlation between negative affective states and commit frequency, implying a cycle of iterative remediation driven by frustration. Furthermore, the investigation has demonstrated that analyzing the topology of contributor interactions yields superior fidelity in mapping collaborative dynamics compared to traditional volume-based metrics. Ultimately, this research posits a Composite Productivity Score (CPS) to address the heterogeneity of developer efficacy.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2511.20955,
  title  = {SpaceX: Exploring metrics with the SPACE model for developer productivity},
  author = {Sanchit Kaul and Kevin Nhu and Jason Eissayou and Ivan Eser and Victor Borup},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2511.20955},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

Code available at https://github.com/knhu/ECS260Project

R2 v1 2026-07-01T07:55:22.335Z