Is your data on track?

The 1 big idea: Unlike every other sport, track is measured by a single KPI -- the passage of time from a starting gun to a finish line -- but it's proven the test of time for a sport that only requires a pair of shoes.

Why it matters: We have KPI obsession. We can use our data better by learning from the simplicity track. Runners measure a single KPI in three different ways to manage performance: benchmarked, trended, and real-time.

I ran into a bench my second week of high-school. Literally. On the second lap of the mile run in 4th hour gym class, my right knee collided with the football team's visitor bench, temporarily set on the inside lane of the track.

That was the beginning and end of my track career. It earned my reputation as 'the kid who ran into a bench' for 4 years at Kettering High School after the ancient, grey-haired and burly gym teacher, Mr. Larkin, loudly announced my mishap across the field "Moshier! Why'd you run into a bench?"

My son runs track. That's him above. Saturday was the last event of his freshman year at college. He earned a personal record (PR). I'm a proud dad (but glad to have a break from the 8 hour roundtrips to watch him run 90 seconds).

In the beginning, I didn't get it. Every runner knows each competitors' PR. This isn't a team sport that requires cohesion each day. This isn't football, soccer, or baseball where there are endless variables that could affect the outcome.

I'm not a baseball fan, but I find the sabermetrics fascinating. The MLB publishes 85 individual player statistics. For every player. Every one of 162 games played by 30 teams every season. That's more data than a 52.58 second 400m.

What you're missing: The simplicity of track statistics provides an unique advantage. There is no confusion on definition of success. Athletes and coaches study the the simple passage of time in three ways:

1. Benchmarked. They compare times to other runners. There are fast days and slow days. You may not hit a PR, but running a 54s 400m on a cold, windy, and rainy day could be praiseworthy when compared to other times.
2. Trended. So you finished last -- again. But what if you set a new PR each of the last 4 races? The trend matters, even when the result doesn't. Runners religiously memorize their PRs and follow the trend.
3. Real-time. My son is a sprinter. He doesn't check times mid-race. But when he ran cross-country, knowing the time at each mile was key. The real-time data helped him manage performance.

Don't misinterpret: I'm not suggesting to scrap your balanced scorecard and 12 KPIs. I'm not even suggesting these three ways are novel concepts. They aren't.

The takeaway: Know your 1 KPI that matters. It's your north star. Benchmark it. Trend it. Monitor it (real-time). It will help you cut through the sabermetrics (and the BS). What gets measured, gets managed. Be strategic and pick one.

Final thought: I still have a scar on my right knee from that darn bench. But it taught me to keep my head up. That's not bad advice -- keep your head up!

This article is part of my blog, Running Thoughts on Data. My first post, The Story My Data Cannot Tell, shares the genesis of my blog. The views and postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent those of Plante Moran.