How to Measure the Hardest Things to Measure
Stacey Barr
Performance Measure & KPI Specialist ? Author of "Prove It!" & "Practical Performance Measurement" ? Creator of PuMP
The hard things to measure are often the most important things to measure. How can we solve this gridlock?
The hard and important things to measure include stuff like this:
- Quality
- Engagement
- Loyalty
- Culture
- Participation
- Health outcomes
- Competence or capability
- Sustainability
- Innovation
What are your hard things to measure?
The hardest things to measure all have one thing in common: they are vague, intangible, undefined. (They are weasel words.)
If you're already familiar with my work, you probably already realise we can't measure what we can't observe or detect through our five senses. And therein lies the key to making the hard stuff easier to measure. We need to define what exactly we mean; what exactly the thing is that we want to measure.
The way to define exactly what those hard things mean is to ask questions to unpack them, and home in on exactly what about those hard things matters most to us.
Questions like these are easy to ask and exactly what's needed (and no-one should ever be afraid to ask them):
- What does 'thing' mean, exactly?
- What does 'thing' mean to us, in our situation?
- What about 'thing' is the important part for us?
- If 'thing' was already happening, how would we recognise it?
- How could we explain 'thing' to a 10-year-old?
When you can't measure something, it's almost certain you haven't clearly defined that something. [ tweet this]
DISCUSSION:
What is your hardest thing to measure? Share it on the blog, so we can all play with these questions to make it much easier to measure.
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Founder
7 年Stacey Barr Another way to measure difficult things is to focus on the outcome. What are the expectations which when accomplished make that outcome possible. Variables will need to be identified. These are your questions with expectation. By focusing on outcome anything is truly measurable. As Laura Aldridge questions how do we encourage a culture where these conversations happen at the right level ? We simply ask a set of questions to collaborate. This requires us to focus in on what you want to accomplish. In engagement the areas to focus in might be increasing information, Process and procedure, Development and Training and People commitment. To engage in these spaces you will want to figure out what method, technique or tool to use to have that conversation at that level. Here is an example format https://www.slideshare.net/EricBruggeman1/innovatevirtual-platform-by-employeetalk
Deputy Director of Data | 10 years Data transformation and leadership experience
7 年Also highlights one of your previous points that defining key metrics shouldn't be delegated down the chain because they're difficult to define. There can be fear to ask those probing questions, how do we encourage a culture where these conversations to happen at the right level ?
Co-Founder ParidaeCMD | CEO/Executive Leadership Coach | Leadership & Strategy | HM Armed Forces Veteran (Royal Navy Officer)
7 年What does 'thing ' mean in our situation ...and...what does 'thing' actually mean to each and every one of us sitting around the table right now?....oh and how will 'thing' be interpreted as it leaves the room better defined?
Learning, Personal, and Business Performance Consultant
7 年Thank you Stacey! Typically 98% of our consulting conversations come back to 1 or more of these, and the initial reaction is usually the same: "what do you mean define quality?". Thankfully, conversations start to get on track when we start talking about "sensory evidence." :)
DNBGP DORA NIS2 - IT Risk - IT Security - High Pressure Implementations
7 年Spot on Stacey Barr, this is why I started my SaaS company: to facilitate measuring the hardest things!