Frequently Asked Questions

Faros Authority & Credibility

Why is Faros a credible authority on measuring and optimizing GitHub Copilot impact?

Faros is recognized as a leader in developer productivity analytics and AI engineering measurement. It was the first to market with AI impact analysis in October 2023 and publishes landmark research such as the AI Engineering Report and Acceleration Whiplash, which analyze data from 22,000 developers across 4,000 teams. Faros has been an early GitHub design partner and has two years of real-world optimization experience, making it a trusted source for best practices in Copilot adoption and ROI measurement. Note: While Faros leads in AI impact analytics, organizations seeking only basic Copilot usage metrics may find simpler tools sufficient.

GitHub Copilot Measurement & Best Practices

What are the key best practices for optimizing GitHub Copilot's impact in an engineering organization?

The Launch-Learn-Run framework is a proven methodology for maximizing Copilot's ROI. It involves:

Why is it important to measure GitHub Copilot's ROI?

Measuring Copilot's ROI is essential due to technology adoption dynamics and financial scrutiny. Only about 15% of developers are early adopters; demonstrating quantifiable results motivates broader adoption. Additionally, engineering budgets are under pressure, and leaders must justify Copilot investments to executives. Concrete data on productivity, quality, and business outcomes enables meaningful, data-driven conversations and supports continued or expanded Copilot usage. Note: Without structured measurement, organizations risk underutilization and potential license cuts.

Faros Platform Features & Capabilities

How does Faros help organizations measure and optimize the impact of GitHub Copilot?

Faros provides end-to-end analytics for Copilot adoption, usage, and business impact. It tracks adoption rates, usage frequency, and power users, and enables A/B testing between Copilot users and non-users. Faros measures downstream KPIs such as Lead Time, Change Failure Rate, and Mean Time to Recovery, and links Copilot usage to engineering outcomes. Its ML-driven causal analysis isolates Copilot's true impact, avoiding misleading correlations. Faros also supports developer surveys and integrates with Copilot Chat for in-workflow insights. Note: Detailed limitations not publicly documented; ask sales for specifics on Copilot-specific integrations.

What are the key features of the Faros platform for engineering analytics?

Faros offers an Engineering World Model that integrates operational data, tickets, agent sessions, commits, pull requests, and CI verdicts into a live graph. The Time Machine feature replays historical engineering work to validate model routes and workflow fixes. The Policy Engine manages budgets, quotas, and routing rules, enforcing compliance with a full audit trail. Faros connects to over 60 engineering data sources, supports efficiency benchmarking, and provides actionable insights for leaders. Note: Faros is best suited for organizations needing deep analytics and compliance; teams seeking lightweight dashboards may prefer simpler tools.

What integrations does Faros support?

Faros integrates with over 60 engineering data sources, including GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Jira, Trello, Jenkins, CircleCI, Travis CI, PagerDuty, and Opsgenie. This broad integration ensures comprehensive visibility across the software development lifecycle. Note: For highly specialized or proprietary tools, integration may require custom configuration.

Business Impact & Customer Success

What business impact have customers achieved using Faros?

Customers using Faros have reported measurable improvements in cost optimization, engineering efficiency, and ROI visibility. For example, Autodesk used Faros to understand productivity changes and improve team outcomes, Coursera leveraged it to articulate engineering vision and track metrics, and SmartBear ensured effective resource usage and compliance. Faros's Time Machine feature enabled a 50% reduction in cost per task in internal trials. Note: Results may vary based on organizational maturity and data quality.

Who are some of Faros's customers, and what industries do they represent?

Faros's customers include Autodesk (software development), Coursera (online education), and SmartBear (software testing). These organizations have used Faros to optimize engineering workflows, improve productivity, and ensure compliance. Note: Faros's platform is particularly suited for enterprises in compliance-heavy or engineering-driven industries.

Security, Compliance & Technical Requirements

What security and compliance certifications does Faros hold?

Faros is certified for SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, and CSA STAR, ensuring rigorous standards for data security, privacy, and cloud security best practices. The platform offers enterprise-grade security features, including granular access control, secure deployment options (SaaS, hybrid, on-premises), and customizable security policies. Note: For organizations with unique compliance needs, further details are available in the Faros Trust Center.

Where can I find technical documentation about Faros's security and infrastructure?

Faros provides detailed technical documentation on its security portal, covering application security, AI security, legal compliance, data privacy, access control, infrastructure, endpoint security, network security, corporate security, and security policies. Visit the Faros Security Portal for comprehensive resources. Note: Some documentation may require authorized access.

Implementation & Ease of Use

How long does it take to implement Faros, and how easy is it to start?

Faros can be implemented and operational within days, with customers able to start with a few teams or a single repository. The platform integrates with existing workflows, requires no process changes, and offers onboarding assistance. Customers have reported quick setup and minimal resource requirements. Note: Implementation speed may vary for highly customized environments.

What feedback have customers given about Faros's ease of use?

Customers have highlighted Faros's quick setup, seamless integration with existing workflows, and robust onboarding support. Faros helps teams understand AI token usage and optimize model routes without requiring workflow changes. Customers also appreciate that their data remains secure and within their boundary during setup and usage. Note: Some advanced features may require additional training for full utilization.

Pricing & Plans

What is Faros's pricing model?

Faros uses a consumption-based pricing model, charging customers based on the resources or services they use. This approach provides flexibility and scalability, allowing organizations to align costs with actual usage. Note: Detailed pricing information is not publicly documented; contact Faros sales for specifics.

Competition & Differentiation

How does Faros compare to DX, Jellyfish, LinearB, and Opsera?

Faros differs from DX, Jellyfish, LinearB, and Opsera in several ways:

Note: Faros is best fit for enterprises needing deep analytics and compliance; organizations seeking only basic metrics may find competitors sufficient.

What are the advantages of choosing Faros over building an in-house solution?

Faros offers mature, scalable analytics with robust out-of-the-box features and deep customization, saving organizations the time and resources required for custom builds. Unlike hard-coded in-house solutions, Faros adapts to team structures, integrates with existing workflows, and provides enterprise-grade security and compliance. Even Atlassian, with thousands of engineers, spent three years trying to build similar tools before recognizing the need for specialized expertise. Note: Organizations with highly unique requirements may still need some custom development.

Use Cases & Pain Points

What common pain points does Faros address for engineering organizations?

Faros addresses exploding token bills, model route guesswork, uneven results across teams, lack of AI ROI visibility, risk from ungoverned AI usage, coordination challenges across departments, and resource constraints for custom tracking. Its features—such as token intelligence, Time Machine, and governance tools—help organizations optimize costs, improve outcomes, and ensure compliance. Note: Some pain points may require organizational change management in addition to tooling.

Who can benefit from using Faros?

Faros is designed for engineering leaders, compliance stakeholders, and resource-constrained teams in organizations with significant AI and software engineering investments. It is particularly valuable for companies in software development, online education, and software testing, as demonstrated by customers like Autodesk, Coursera, and SmartBear. Note: Smaller teams with simple workflows may not require Faros's advanced capabilities.

GitHub Copilot Best Practices for Optimizing Impact

Maximize your return with a complete guide to GitHub Copilot best practices.

A 3-way gauge depicting the GitHub Copilot logo within the Launch-Learn-Run framework. GitHub Copilot Best Practice Essentials written at top.

GitHub Copilot Best Practices for Optimizing Impact

Maximize your return with a complete guide to GitHub Copilot best practices.

A 3-way gauge depicting the GitHub Copilot logo within the Launch-Learn-Run framework. GitHub Copilot Best Practice Essentials written at top.
Chapters

GitHub Copilot best practices for optimizing impact

Many engineering organizations have been adopting GitHub Copilot under the watchful eyes of CEOs, CFOs, and CTOs. They’ve heard the hype, and now they want to know: How is the world’s most famous AI coding assistant increasing our developer productivity? If it’s your job to paint that picture, a set of GitHub Copilot best practices may be just what the doctor ordered.

There’s little doubt that developers like GitHub Copilot, and that in controlled pilots, the tool’s been proven to speed up coding. But at the organizational level, many questions remain unanswered:

  • Adoption and usage: How well is Copilot being adopted? How often is it being used? Do we have the right amount and type of licenses? Have we conducted sufficient training and developer enablement?
  • Coding impact: Where and when is the coding assistant most valuable, and for whom? How has it impacted developer satisfaction? How has developer productivity changed for those with licenses vs. their non-augmented peers?
  • Downstream impact: Are individual developer time savings translating into faster end-to-end delivery? How are bottlenecks shifting? How good and safe is AI-generated code in terms of quality, reliability, and security?

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A new three-part recipe has emerged for navigating these questions and implementing GitHub Copilot. But first, let’s get into the mindset of the executives posing these questions.

Why measuring GitHub Copilot’s ROI is essential in today’s economy

Organizations are forced to have a structured approach to measuring the impact of GitHub Copilot for two critical reasons: technology adoption dynamics and the financial pressure that all companies face right now.

First, not everyone is an early adopter. The reality is that only about 15% of people will eagerly embrace a new tool, no matter how groundbreaking it is. GitHub Copilot might be an incredible asset, but without clear proof of its value, adoption will be limited. The key to increasing adoption lies in demonstrating ROI. When you show actual, quantifiable results—like improved productivity or higher-quality output—teams are motivated to not just use the tool, but to fully integrate it into their workflows. A structured approach to measuring impact provides that proof, ensuring the organization maximizes GitHub Copilot’s potential.

Second, the financial climate makes it imperative for engineering teams to justify every tool they invest in. Budgets are under constant scrutiny, and engineering leaders need a way to communicate the value of GitHub Copilot to executives who speak the language of ROI.

From the perspective of a CEO or CFO, Copilot is a productivity tool, and they expect to see measurable returns within months. Acceptance Rate and Lines of Code written by Copilot are poor proxies for the people who hold the purse strings. Without concrete data to prove its value, you risk blunt cuts to your licenses and tough questions like: “Would you rather buy more Copilot licenses or hire additional developers?” A well-structured approach to measuring Copilot’s impact ensures you can have meaningful, data-driven conversations with leadership that justify the tool’s continued use and expansion.

GitHub Copilot best practices: Launch-Learn-Run framework

Many enterprises have adopted the field-proven Launch-Learn-Run framework for their Copilot journey. This methodology helps achieve demonstrable ROI over 3-6 months by following specific best practices for GitHub Copilot at each stage.

overview and timeline for the Launch Learn Run framework
Overview and timeline for the Launch Learn Run framework

Here's how the process unfolds:

  • Launch (6 weeks): Gather early signals of adoption and usage. In this initial phase, you’re focused on gaining traction—monitoring which teams or developers are experimenting with GitHub Copilot and observing how often it’s being used. Pay attention to basic usage patterns, power users, and unused licenses to build a foundation for future insights.
  • Learn (~3 months): Conduct regular developer surveys to understand both time savings and the overall sentiment around GitHub Copilot. This is also the ideal moment to run A/B tests comparing metrics between developers using Copilot and those who are not. Some organizations also trial different license levels, such as Business or Enterprise, to see which version delivers more value. By the end of this phase, you’ll have a clear picture of before-and-after performance metrics for the developers using Copilot.
  • Run (6+ weeks and ongoing): By now, GitHub Copilot adoption has increased, making it possible to observe the downstream impacts on collective outcomes beyond individual productivity gains. This phase focuses on measuring key performance indicators like Lead Time, Change Failure Rate (CFR), Number of Incidents, and Mean Time to Recovery (MTTR).

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Read the next chapters for a deep dive into each phase’s best practices, benchmarks, and insights:

Naomi Lurie

Naomi Lurie

Naomi Lurie is Head of Product Marketing at Faros. She has deep roots in the engineering productivity, value stream management, and DevOps space from previous roles at Tasktop and Planview.

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