Enterprises should differentiate between different types of metrics and how they are used. Result, Leading and Diagnostic measures should be combined to ensure they are supporting long-term objectives while focusing on intermediate and daily activities that make a difference. As a quick reference consider the following table for getting the right mix: TypeDefinitionReview FreqExamplesBaseball analogyResultShow …
Continue reading "Different Metric Types Meet Different Needs"
Success requires dedication. Passion makes dedication fun.
This post continues a series of blog posts on Measures by exploring Cycle Time. Cycle Time is one of my favorite measures. It is at the heart of Lean and forms a basis for improvement that is typically at the center of good customer experience and process agility. In my opinion, any process not tracking …
When setting process measures, there are four key areas where I start: Volume Cycle Time Efficiency Quality I’ll be exploring these over a series of blog posts on Measures starting with this post on Volume. Volume seems like a simple measure. At its root, it is concerned with how many. Lets consider a simple a …
I’m a long time BlackBerry user and recently switched to Android. My trackball died, the phone was scratched up, and BB did not offer with my carrier some of the love I wanted, so I looked for an alternative. First let me say I am disappointed that BB has been slow to keep up with …
I am deep into my annual planning process for the New Year. I just reviewed a post from Chris Guillebeau over at the ANOC blog that lays out his process for year-end planning. In short, he advises the following steps: Step 1: Review the Previous Year Step 2: Outline Goals and Overall Focus for Next …
Continue reading "Don’t make Resolutions – Plan the New Year"
I am a big believer in creating an overall score card for an organization and measuring performance against it. The Balanced Scorecard remains one of the best ways to accomplish that goal for an organization. I recently found a great set of tools from Mark Graham Brown that simplify getting started. I especially like the …
Is a downturn inevitable? Given all the talk in the past couple months, it seems that a downturn can no longer help but to become a self-fulfilling prophecy if it has not already set in. The only question is how long and how deep? How should companies approach these uncertain times? Most of the companies …
I'm certainly late to the band wagon, but I really enjoyed this post from Kathy Sierra at Creating Passionate Users about the mindset to become an expert. Her intro chart alone is worth the click. And if the brain scientists are right, all the aspiring expert needs is a strong dedication to continuous improvement: "That …
Although they have value, I'm not here to talk about quick hit or proof of concept projects. I'm talking about what leaders can learn from the disciplines of piloting aircraft. I earned my private pilot license in May of 2005. This post is a reflection on that experience and how it applies to business. Coaching …
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