I Advice
#1 in Business Subscribe Email Print

You are here: Home > Business > Management > You Didn't Use Brainstorming to Select Your Measures, Did You?

Tags

  • really
  • where
  • great strengths
  • probably never
  • produce useful

  • Links

  • Internet Stock Trading - The Reality
  • Is There a Magical Weight Loss Cure?
  • Blog and RSS
  • I Advice - You Didn't Use Brainstorming to Select Your Measures, Did You?

    Logo Upgrades and Simplicity
    A logo should be thought of as a living design. As times and styles change, the logo design should keep up. Otherwise, a logo starts to look old and tired - not things you want to portray to your customers. Mild changes can make a big improvement while still helping retain the image your customers have come to recognize and trust. The changes can be simple - think of it as a graphical facelift. Lightening or darkening of colors, slight changes in font type or size, and variation of the overall shape are little things that can make a big difference.When customers look at your logo, they automatically associate your logo with what it's like to do business with you. A old, tired logo might make customers feel like your business is old and tired too. That's why some mild updates can go a long way. Too many changes can alienate your customers, but smart, subtle updates will help them feel like your business is improving and staying "with it."Every once in awhile I'll come across a logo that includes several icons, several fonts, taglines, and more. I suspect most of these logos are the result of a CEO not being able to decide the one thing his company stands for. So he throws in everything, hoping his customers will recognize something that appeals to them. But the result is exactly the opposite. These logos are so crowded and complex they are impossible to remember and appeal to no one - except the CEO. The best logos are simple. A single icon and easy-to-read logotype. And often no icon at all. When you're ready to create your logo, keeping it simple will help your customers recognize and remember who you are and what service your provide. And that is critical to the long-term success of your company.
    ing process occurs.

    - Our bigger picture is not taken into account, such as how this area of performance affects others in our organisation.

    - Selecting measures against different understandings of the ‘outcome’ to measure.

    Measure design needs to produce measures that encourage learning and sharing of knowledge, but not at the expense of discovering and focusing on the unique business strategy that best suits the organisation.

    data availability makes it cheap, but focuses on yester-year’s strategy

    What data do we have? What have we measured in the past? What are we already measuring? All questions that are symptomatic of an organisation that is not open to challenging whether the data they are collecting really is capable of telling them what they need to know about where they are going. Measure what you have always measured, get what you have always gotten. What’s strategic about that?

    pros:

    - Very easy, very quick.

    - Known data sources mean low cost in data collection/capture – already have systems to support it.

    - People more likely share a common understanding of measures already.

    - Consistency in information over time, to have valid comparisons over time.

    - Have historic data avail

    It is Time to Work for Yourself
    The workplace in today’s environment is a stressful place. The uncertainty of the economy coupled with your dependence on the decisions of others leaves you in a fragile position. Do you constantly ask the following questions of yourself?• Am I working too much and making to little? • Am I trapped in this job? • Do I feel as if I am on a treadmill, spinning faster and never moving forward? • Am I just busy or am I accomplishing something? • Do you daydream about a joy of freedom? • Am I fed up with missing family time, family events, and making other personal sacrifices? • Do I crave for more free time to do the things that matter most to me? • Do I think about the autonomy of owning my own business?If you answered “yes” to most of these questions, you are not alone. Starting now you can limit this discomfort. It is time to work for your self. It is necessary to change your self awareness. First, it is time to understand that your current situation is only a phase of life that you are passing through. Next, begin to research the options available. Many opportunities exist that allow you to stay home. If this is appealing, then check out www.YourTupperwareOnline.com for testimonials. These sales people have left the standard workforce. They now have more freedom and are creating wealth for their families. These options were not available in their previous employment situations. Does this sound familiar?As the world economy is constantly changing. This change always leads to the entrepreneur. This is the person who asked the questions above and decided to change the answers. They now ask the following questions:• Am I exceeding the expectation of my customers? • Do I value results and drive out excuses? • Do I strive for continuous improvement? • Do I maximize my profitable growth? • Do I make decisions based on
    Introduction

    When Alex Osborn invented the creativity technique called brainstorming, I wonder if he had any idea just how extensively business would apply it. Almost every meeting employs some kind of brainstorming event, but there’s one meeting that really should leave it off the agenda: the performance measure selection meeting.

    There are 5 common ways people select performance measures

    The selection of performance measures has never really been treated as anything more than a trivial, and often pesky, decision brought around by the annual business planning workshop. Usually people will take the fastest route to finalising a list of performance indicators in the KPI column of their business plan, and depending on your organisation, the fastest routes are usually some combination of the following:

    - brainstorming, where participants just list as many potential measures as they can think of and then do some kind of short-listing

    - benchmarking, or some other version of adoption (copying) measures from other organisations

    - using existing data or measures, to save the costs of measuring something new, and having to collect the data

    - measuring what stakeholders tell us to measure

    - listening to what the experts in our industry have to say - what they "know" we should measure

    Each of these methods certainly has some great strengths, but we often forget to examine the drawbacks. This article was written to open up the drawback discussion and offer a different way of thinking about measure design. but these common ways are limited!

    brainstorming seems quick, but is really very hit-and-miss

    Probably the most common approach taken to decide what to measure, brainstorming is the easy way out of an activity many people dread. Quality in equals quality out. A process that was designed for creativity and not measure design will not produce useful and usable measures.

    pros:

    - Seems quick.

    - Lots of ideas for measures can be generated rapidly.

    - Collaborative ideas - two heads are better than one.

    - Easy to do, no special knowledge or skill is required.

    - Engages people to be part of the measure selection process.

    - A known/accepted approach, so the process doesn’t get in the way of doing the activity.

    All ideas are considered/accepted, which helps people willingly participate.

    cons:

    - Not really finished after the brainstorming is over - how to get a final selection of measures is vague.

    - There is more to measurement than just selecting measures - thought about how to bring the measures to life is also needed.

    - Too much information is produced, therefore too many measures often results.

    - Ideas are not vetted or tested, our thinking is not challenged.

    - We often are brainstorming against different understandings of the same objective/goal we want to measure.

    - The bigger picture is not taken into account e.g. unintended consequences, relationships to other objectives/goals, silo thinking.

    - Often what is brainstormed is not really a measure at all – instead it is an action, a milestone, a piece of data, a vague fluffy concept.

    - What is brainstormed is often expressed so vaguely no-one can remember what it meant later on.

    Measure design needs to produce a few measures that have been thoroughly tested for their relevance or strength in tracking the goal or result they are selected for, and are supported by the people that they will affect.

    benchmarking is convenient, but ignores strategic uniqueness

    Benchmarking is about finding out what another organisation is doing, and this almost always involves or is based on some comparison of performance measures. If organisations share the same measures, then benchmarking is certainly easier to do, but there are consequences of adopting a “bolt on” set of performance measures.

    pros:- - We feel safe & secure because others have gone before us.

    - Others have (we assume) already put a lot of thought into those measures

    – why reinvent the wheel?

    - We can compare our performance with the performance of other similar organisations.

    - We get a feeling of how good (or better) we are compared to others.

    - It’s easy – just have to look and ask.

    - Easier to justify to others why we are measuring what we are measuring.

    - Widely accepted approach.

    cons:- - There is more to measurement than just selecting measures.

    - Not always collaborative - so little buy-in by people who will produce and use the measures.

    - Not always like for like (apples with apples) - in fact, probably never is to the extent we assume.

    - Isn’t driven by the decisions we need to make and the information we need for those decisions.

    - Doesn’t challenge our thinking.

    - It makes us bring some other organisation’s strategy to life, not what is right for us (aren’t we unique?).

    - The goal posts change more frequently than the benchmarking process occurs.

    - Our bigger picture is not taken into account, such as how this area of performance affects others in our organisation.

    - Selecting measures against different understandings of the ‘outcome’ to measure.

    Measure design needs to produce measures that encourage learning and sharing of knowledge, but not at the expense of discovering and focusing on the unique business strategy that best suits the organisation.

    data availability makes it cheap, but focuses on yester-year’s strategy

    What data do we have? What have we measured in the past? What are we already measuring? All questions that are symptomatic of an organisation that is not open to challenging whether the data they are collecting really is capable of telling them what they need to know about where they are going. Measure what you have always measured, get what you have always gotten. What’s strategic about that?

    pros:

    - Very easy, very quick.

    - Known data sources mean low cost in data collection/capture – already have systems to support it.

    - People more likely share a common understanding of measures already.

    - Consistency in information over time, to have valid comparisons over time.

    - Have historic data availa

    What To Do With A Graduate Degree
    Search for a job. Your graduate degree will open many doors for you in the workplace. Research different career paths and find the one that's right for you. Look at current trends in the job market and check salary websites that can give you information on average income for that position.Once you've scoped out the general industry or position you'd like to work in, start your job search. Check the newspapers daily and peruse through job web sites.Job search web sites will be your best friend. It is the quickest and easiest ways to search for a position. You can search through hundreds of ads in seconds by using a keyword search. Type in a job position and pages of search results will pop up.You can also search by city or zip code. This is helpful if you have your heart set on working in a specific area. Maybe you want to stay close to home or find a job in a city you always wanted to live in. Take advantage of online job sites.Online job sites also have a resume posting feature. You can search for jobs 24 hours a day without even knowing it. Upload your resume on a job site and hundreds of employers and recruiters will see your resume instantly. If your resume matches their own search requirement they will give you a call to set up an interview.Another great way to find a job is going through a staffing agency. Many large companies outsource their recruiting to local or national staffing agencies. Make an appointment with an agency. You will have to go in for an interview and take a few tests to rate your computer skills. Once you're done, the recruiter will send you off to meet with human resources personnel in major companies.If you find that you love academic life then think about going back to school. Many students fall in love with their subjects and the university environment. Going back to school to get a PhD can be a rewarding experience. It's a
    xperts in our industry have to say - what they "know" we should measure

    Each of these methods certainly has some great strengths, but we often forget to examine the drawbacks. This article was written to open up the drawback discussion and offer a different way of thinking about measure design. but these common ways are limited!

    brainstorming seems quick, but is really very hit-and-miss

    Probably the most common approach taken to decide what to measure, brainstorming is the easy way out of an activity many people dread. Quality in equals quality out. A process that was designed for creativity and not measure design will not produce useful and usable measures.

    pros:

    - Seems quick.

    - Lots of ideas for measures can be generated rapidly.

    - Collaborative ideas - two heads are better than one.

    - Easy to do, no special knowledge or skill is required.

    - Engages people to be part of the measure selection process.

    - A known/accepted approach, so the process doesn’t get in the way of doing the activity.

    All ideas are considered/accepted, which helps people willingly participate.

    cons:

    - Not really finished after the brainstorming is over - how to get a final selection of measures is vague.

    - There is more to measurement than just selecting measures - thought about how to bring the measures to life is also needed.

    - Too much information is produced, therefore too many measures often results.

    - Ideas are not vetted or tested, our thinking is not challenged.

    - We often are brainstorming against different understandings of the same objective/goal we want to measure.

    - The bigger picture is not taken into account e.g. unintended consequences, relationships to other objectives/goals, silo thinking.

    - Often what is brainstormed is not really a measure at all – instead it is an action, a milestone, a piece of data, a vague fluffy concept.

    - What is brainstormed is often expressed so vaguely no-one can remember what it meant later on.

    Measure design needs to produce a few measures that have been thoroughly tested for their relevance or strength in tracking the goal or result they are selected for, and are supported by the people that they will affect.

    benchmarking is convenient, but ignores strategic uniqueness

    Benchmarking is about finding out what another organisation is doing, and this almost always involves or is based on some comparison of performance measures. If organisations share the same measures, then benchmarking is certainly easier to do, but there are consequences of adopting a “bolt on” set of performance measures.

    pros:- - We feel safe & secure because others have gone before us.

    - Others have (we assume) already put a lot of thought into those measures

    – why reinvent the wheel?

    - We can compare our performance with the performance of other similar organisations.

    - We get a feeling of how good (or better) we are compared to others.

    - It’s easy – just have to look and ask.

    - Easier to justify to others why we are measuring what we are measuring.

    - Widely accepted approach.

    cons:- - There is more to measurement than just selecting measures.

    - Not always collaborative - so little buy-in by people who will produce and use the measures.

    - Not always like for like (apples with apples) - in fact, probably never is to the extent we assume.

    - Isn’t driven by the decisions we need to make and the information we need for those decisions.

    - Doesn’t challenge our thinking.

    - It makes us bring some other organisation’s strategy to life, not what is right for us (aren’t we unique?).

    - The goal posts change more frequently than the benchmarking process occurs.

    - Our bigger picture is not taken into account, such as how this area of performance affects others in our organisation.

    - Selecting measures against different understandings of the ‘outcome’ to measure.

    Measure design needs to produce measures that encourage learning and sharing of knowledge, but not at the expense of discovering and focusing on the unique business strategy that best suits the organisation.

    data availability makes it cheap, but focuses on yester-year’s strategy

    What data do we have? What have we measured in the past? What are we already measuring? All questions that are symptomatic of an organisation that is not open to challenging whether the data they are collecting really is capable of telling them what they need to know about where they are going. Measure what you have always measured, get what you have always gotten. What’s strategic about that?

    pros:

    - Very easy, very quick.

    - Known data sources mean low cost in data collection/capture – already have systems to support it.

    - People more likely share a common understanding of measures already.

    - Consistency in information over time, to have valid comparisons over time.

    - Have historic data avail

    How to Easily Start a Women Owned Business from Home
    The boom in home based businesses for women could be due to the fact that more women want to be able to stay at home with their children without sacrificing a career. Many want more flexibility, independence and control, instead of being told what to do. It is a way to escape the glass ceiling of the corporate world.A women owned business from home gives many women the opportunity to have the best of both worlds - they can seek a career and follow their dreams, bring supplemental (or main) income into the home while still spending time with the children.However, you must have a high level of discipline and motivation to be able to run a successful home based business. There will be inevitable distractions from children, household chores or visiting friends.Here are 4 tips to starting a women owned business from home.Business planningThe key to starting and running a business is proper planning. You can find plenty of tools and resources online to help you develop a business plan.You need to identify your business goals and objectives, business structure, strengths and weaknesses, marketing strategy and financial management.Time managementManaging your time is crucial. It can be very tempting to walk away from your work to take care of something else in the home. Conversely, you may spend more time working, thus neglecting your home and family. Either of these will cause conflict and prevent your business from being successful. It is crucial to balance your time in your work and at home. Setting goals for each day will help you manage your time properly.Business ideaHow will you know what type of business to undertake? It is important to do something that you already enjoy which is why you can begin by taking a look at your interests and hobbies. What are some of the things you feel passionate about? Set down and make a list of
    ue.

    - There is more to measurement than just selecting measures - thought about how to bring the measures to life is also needed.

    - Too much information is produced, therefore too many measures often results.

    - Ideas are not vetted or tested, our thinking is not challenged.

    - We often are brainstorming against different understandings of the same objective/goal we want to measure.

    - The bigger picture is not taken into account e.g. unintended consequences, relationships to other objectives/goals, silo thinking.

    - Often what is brainstormed is not really a measure at all – instead it is an action, a milestone, a piece of data, a vague fluffy concept.

    - What is brainstormed is often expressed so vaguely no-one can remember what it meant later on.

    Measure design needs to produce a few measures that have been thoroughly tested for their relevance or strength in tracking the goal or result they are selected for, and are supported by the people that they will affect.

    benchmarking is convenient, but ignores strategic uniqueness

    Benchmarking is about finding out what another organisation is doing, and this almost always involves or is based on some comparison of performance measures. If organisations share the same measures, then benchmarking is certainly easier to do, but there are consequences of adopting a “bolt on” set of performance measures.

    pros:- - We feel safe & secure because others have gone before us.

    - Others have (we assume) already put a lot of thought into those measures

    – why reinvent the wheel?

    - We can compare our performance with the performance of other similar organisations.

    - We get a feeling of how good (or better) we are compared to others.

    - It’s easy – just have to look and ask.

    - Easier to justify to others why we are measuring what we are measuring.

    - Widely accepted approach.

    cons:- - There is more to measurement than just selecting measures.

    - Not always collaborative - so little buy-in by people who will produce and use the measures.

    - Not always like for like (apples with apples) - in fact, probably never is to the extent we assume.

    - Isn’t driven by the decisions we need to make and the information we need for those decisions.

    - Doesn’t challenge our thinking.

    - It makes us bring some other organisation’s strategy to life, not what is right for us (aren’t we unique?).

    - The goal posts change more frequently than the benchmarking process occurs.

    - Our bigger picture is not taken into account, such as how this area of performance affects others in our organisation.

    - Selecting measures against different understandings of the ‘outcome’ to measure.

    Measure design needs to produce measures that encourage learning and sharing of knowledge, but not at the expense of discovering and focusing on the unique business strategy that best suits the organisation.

    data availability makes it cheap, but focuses on yester-year’s strategy

    What data do we have? What have we measured in the past? What are we already measuring? All questions that are symptomatic of an organisation that is not open to challenging whether the data they are collecting really is capable of telling them what they need to know about where they are going. Measure what you have always measured, get what you have always gotten. What’s strategic about that?

    pros:

    - Very easy, very quick.

    - Known data sources mean low cost in data collection/capture – already have systems to support it.

    - People more likely share a common understanding of measures already.

    - Consistency in information over time, to have valid comparisons over time.

    - Have historic data avail

    Checking Out Your Card Printing Company
    Are you looking for quality card printing at a cheap price for your personal or business needs? Are you unsure of who to order from or what company will be a dependable source of printing supplies?Card printing is offered by literally hundreds and hundreds of small card printing specialists from all over the world that can provide you with a wide range of beautiful and form fitting card printing items that will have your needs met with style.But what card printing companies are right for you? First of all you need to make sure that the card printing company you choose to take care of your business cards, flyers, or other card printing material has a solid track record of happy customers. You are going to have to make sure that these references can be contacted so that you can verify that they are indeed real customers that ordered from that particular card printing service provider.Checking the references of the card printing company in question may not seem like a big deal to you if your needs are simply a few hundred business cards or several flyers. But keep in mind that if you are going to need hundreds or even thousands of dollars worth of card printing supplies then it is worth checking out the card printing service provider ahead of time, to avoid being potentially ripped off.Most card printing companies do offer all of the references you will ever need, but there have been instances where customers did not do their due diligence and were taken advantage of. For example, I once had a friend who needed to order about two thousand dollars worth of card printing materials and he ordered from a company that offered their card printing supplies so dirt cheap that he just couldn't resist.Well, two thousand dollars paid and six months later, John is still trying to get his money back because he never got the order. The moral of the story is to ensure that
    share the same measures, then benchmarking is certainly easier to do, but there are consequences of adopting a “bolt on” set of performance measures.

    pros:- - We feel safe & secure because others have gone before us.

    - Others have (we assume) already put a lot of thought into those measures

    – why reinvent the wheel?

    - We can compare our performance with the performance of other similar organisations.

    - We get a feeling of how good (or better) we are compared to others.

    - It’s easy – just have to look and ask.

    - Easier to justify to others why we are measuring what we are measuring.

    - Widely accepted approach.

    cons:- - There is more to measurement than just selecting measures.

    - Not always collaborative - so little buy-in by people who will produce and use the measures.

    - Not always like for like (apples with apples) - in fact, probably never is to the extent we assume.

    - Isn’t driven by the decisions we need to make and the information we need for those decisions.

    - Doesn’t challenge our thinking.

    - It makes us bring some other organisation’s strategy to life, not what is right for us (aren’t we unique?).

    - The goal posts change more frequently than the benchmarking process occurs.

    - Our bigger picture is not taken into account, such as how this area of performance affects others in our organisation.

    - Selecting measures against different understandings of the ‘outcome’ to measure.

    Measure design needs to produce measures that encourage learning and sharing of knowledge, but not at the expense of discovering and focusing on the unique business strategy that best suits the organisation.

    data availability makes it cheap, but focuses on yester-year’s strategy

    What data do we have? What have we measured in the past? What are we already measuring? All questions that are symptomatic of an organisation that is not open to challenging whether the data they are collecting really is capable of telling them what they need to know about where they are going. Measure what you have always measured, get what you have always gotten. What’s strategic about that?

    pros:

    - Very easy, very quick.

    - Known data sources mean low cost in data collection/capture – already have systems to support it.

    - People more likely share a common understanding of measures already.

    - Consistency in information over time, to have valid comparisons over time.

    - Have historic data avail

    Business Secrets Revealed: 4. Business is Occupation
    Business is Occupation:The principal activity in your life is to earn money and spend it for the basic needs and other comforts of life.Job or Business?After a reasonable period of physical growth and education, one decides to enter into the main activity of earning for a living. Based on the facilities and circumstances, he prefers to go to a job or enter into an enterprise. This depends mainly on the individual’s attitude and aptitude; in simple words, they are his feelings and fitness.Attitude (feelings):He grows into a man in an atmosphere, where he senses, understands and interprets many a thing around him to match his inner feelings. He develops a futuristic model of his kingdom in his own way of thinking. He wants to build up his empire with the thoughts and feelings to have a final mental satisfaction.Aptitude (fitness):However, his physical health, vigor, strength, robustness, training, skill development, education, knowledge and many more personality factors decide his fitness. The major other factor is the suitability or appropriateness of his skill to the business or the job in selection. He must capable of fulfilling the requirement of the job or business to fullest satisfaction of the consumers. He must be talented to convert his skill into money with all the compatibility of the participants.When his competence to perform and his mind-set match with each other, then the job accomplishment becomes easy.Is a job or a career a business?For some time, I was differentiating job from a business. Job is not a business as it is a work to perform as advised.Job is simple:It is for getting a wage or salary at the end of the work. The components and characters of a business are huge. While, the job may be small or big, short or long, it will constitute a simple way of
    ing process occurs.

    - Our bigger picture is not taken into account, such as how this area of performance affects others in our organisation.

    - Selecting measures against different understandings of the ‘outcome’ to measure.

    Measure design needs to produce measures that encourage learning and sharing of knowledge, but not at the expense of discovering and focusing on the unique business strategy that best suits the organisation.

    data availability makes it cheap, but focuses on yester-year’s strategy

    What data do we have? What have we measured in the past? What are we already measuring? All questions that are symptomatic of an organisation that is not open to challenging whether the data they are collecting really is capable of telling them what they need to know about where they are going. Measure what you have always measured, get what you have always gotten. What’s strategic about that?

    pros:

    - Very easy, very quick.

    - Known data sources mean low cost in data collection/capture – already have systems to support it.

    - People more likely share a common understanding of measures already.

    - Consistency in information over time, to have valid comparisons over time.

    - Have historic data available for trend analysis.

    cons:

    - We only bring yesterday’s (or yester-year’s) strategy to life.

    - Rarely challenge the measure itself, so no better measures are explored (and therefore no better data will ever be collected to manage emerging strategic risks and opportunities).

    - Not collaborative, because it is from previous thinkers, not today’s doers.

    - Bigger picture is not taken into account.

    - Parts of our strategy that are new will go un-measured.

    Measure design needs to produce measures that are cost-effective and have some historic data before too long, but must produce measures that will take the organisation toward its vision, not drag it back into its past.

    stakeholders need information, but that’s not the same as performance measurement

    What’s imposed on an organisation by regulators, shareholders, government, industry bodies and other stakeholders is often considered a constraint on the measures it can use to manage its performance. They struggle to retrofit the stakeholder-chosen measures to their strategy, or renegotiate the stakeholder-chosen measures. But these aren’t the only two options. This method of measure selection is not really measure selection at all.

    pros:

    - We get told what to measure, and don’t have to do the hard work ourselves.

    - We give them what they want and thus we won’t get into trouble.

    - Often can be negotiated resourcing by the government group or stakeholder imposing it.

    - Get higher management commitment to the need (and therefore to data collection and reporting) - it will get done.

    - Our governance requirements are more likely to be met (assuming we report these measures properly).

    cons:

    - There is more to measurement than just selecting measures.

    - Encourages an autocratic/ patriarchal management style.

    - The imposers don’t understand our strategic direction/don’t trust that we do.

    - Isn’t driven by the decisions we need to make and the information we need for those decisions.

    - Lack of ownership by us of those measures (and the results they track). - Bigger picture is not taken into account.

    - The focus may not be the right focus or the only focus that matters.

    - Parent-child (instead of partner) relationship with stakeholders could become the norm.

    - Assumes that the stakeholders have robust methods of designing meaningful measures.

    Measure design needs to produce measures that are relevant to the organisation’s strategic direction, a direction that is understood supported by its key stakeholders. But the measure design process can also be used to design reports to stakeholders that are largely separate to its organisational performance measures.

    experts have experience, but can be locked into one-size-fits-all

    Industry experts, consultants, people with years of experience or self-nominated experts all carry a mystique of knowledge and wisdom that can make their ideas about what to measure sound more like truth than suggestion.

    pros:

    - We get told, and don’t have to do the hard work.

    - A focus is quickly clear.

    - Experts can bring new ideas and experience we may not have.

    - Have approaches that have worked for other organisations.

    cons:

    - The focus may not be the right focus or the only focus that matters for us.

    - We usually don’t challenge experts even though we have intimate knowledge of our unique business.

    - Experts can assume we don’t need to know their thinking behind the measures, so we don’t learn how to think more wisely about the measures for ourselves.

    - We may not really understand the measures that are recommended to us.

    - Experts often cost a lot of money.

    - Experts may not understand our organisation enough to know our uniqueness (the one size fits all problem).

    - Experts may not take account of how feasible it might be (or not) to bring those measures to life in our organisation.

    - Measure design needs to produce measures that we understand and have ownership of, and be a process that allows us to continue refining and refreshing our selection of measures as our performance and strategic direction changes.

    Measure design needs a better methodology

    The reason that the quick and easy methods above are used to select measures is the same reason that performance measurement is a dreaded event: people have no idea that measure design is a process of dialogue around the goals or objectives they want to measure. It is a way for them to engage in a deeper understanding of the results they are really trying to achieve, and how they would be convinced as to the degree to which they have achieved those results.

    And that’s why we’ve created an alternative method to measure design. A method that produces measures which:

    - are few, not prolific

    - have been thoroughly tested for their relevance or strength in tracking the goal or result they are selected for

    - are supp

    HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
    <a href="http://www.willuadd.com/article/23983/willuadd-You-Didnt-Use-Brainstorming-to-Select-Your-Measures-Did-You.html">You Didn't Use Brainstorming to Select Your Measures, Did You?</a>

    BB link (for phorums):
    [url=http://www.willuadd.com/article/23983/willuadd-You-Didnt-Use-Brainstorming-to-Select-Your-Measures-Did-You.html]You Didn't Use Brainstorming to Select Your Measures, Did You?[/url]

    Related Articles:

    Words of Value, Words of Truth

    Get A New Job - Career Choices

    The Online Business Quandary

    Bookmark it: del.icio.us digg.com reddit.com netvouz.com google.com yahoo.com technorati.com furl.net bloglines.com socialdust.com ma.gnolia.com newsvine.com slashdot.org simpy.com shadows.com blinklist.com