Jan 26 2010
Metrics for Management Sake
If you have ever been responsible for tracking anything then you’ve dealt with the world of metrics. In most cases they can be useful and highly effective tools for gauging the impact of business decisions and strategies. Unfortunately there is another class of metrics…those for the sake of being. This happens often when you demonstrate you can capture metrics. Now the objective becomes how can you use those measures rather than the original question of what did you need to measure in the first place.
Next time you’re asked to generate metrics for some activity, don’t be afraid to ask what they’re going to be used for and what will change as a result of their capture and reporting. You see…far too often metrics are the data version of the beating stick used when unrealistic expectations go unmet. If the intention is to improve productivity then you best know how the metrics can be applied before you start gathering them otherwise you’re just wasting your time.
