The 6 Characteristics of Effective Metrics

January 20, 2012 · Filed Under General, measurement  - 0 Comment(s)

I had the pleasure of meeting and working with Bob Lewis of Infoworld and CIO magazines recently.  In looking through his many excellent blogs I noticed this one today. It sumarizes a viable metrics program very well and is compatible with the goal, question, metric approach.  He calls it the 6 C's of effective metrics:


  1. "Connected to Organizational Goals: Good metrics are connected to important goals. In fact, they begin as important goals, stated in English.
  2. Consistent: Consistent metrics always go in one direction when the situation improves and the other direction when it deteriorates. If good doesn't always point in one direction and bad in the other, your metric will drive organizational dysfunction.
  3. Calibrated: Calibration means you get the same value in the same situation no matter who records it. It also means the data are free from sample bias and other quality problems.
  4. Complete: Anything you don't measure you don't get, so any useful system of measures must include all factors that are important to achieving the goal.
  5. Communicated: The purpose of metrics is to drive behavior. If you don't communicate their purpose, they won't drive behavior.
  6. Current: Goals change. Keep the old measures and you'll achieve your old goals, not your new ones."

 


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