Why Hold a Measures Conference

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Measurement based management systems can be greatly improved by the regular holding of a measures conference, enabling dialog between and realignment of different parts of the organization. Check additional information about Measures Conference.

Measurement based management is all the rage these days and in recent years, and for good reason. They help to dispel some of the notorious vagueness that has plagued the field of management in the past, when it was more or less based on personal management styles. Now, objective data and the information derived from these data are widely considered to be the most useful tools in getting a handle on performance, and hence pursuing progress. Systems ranging across the entire company, however, usually tend to fragment and subtly drift away, which is why holding a measures conference can be a great help to such systems.

To begin with, perhaps a short discussion of how a metric or key performance indicator system is formulated and implemented in the first place would prove useful. In many cases, the starting point would of course be the company strategy itself. This strategy is comprehensive and contains the goals, objectives, desired outcomes, and responsibilities of each component part of the company. Usually this strategy is designed so as to both support and be supported by the most fundamental drives of the company as encapsulated in its mission and vision.

The role that measurement systems play is in tracking progress towards these well defined goals. This of course assumes that the goals are defined in precisely such a way that makes them amenable to being measured and monitored. Otherwise, in fact, the goals would be unclear and much less useful to guiding future company growth and development.

The metrics and quantities to be considered are thus drawn more or less directly from the various existing objectives set in the strategy. These would be as varied as the different companies and departments that exist out there, from sales driven initiatives to internal business process improvements. In many companies these different aspects are actually part of the overall strategy, and each must be given its due attention and effort.

So the system would strive not only to measure each part's performance, but also in a way to bring these parts together through strategic links. Ideally, since these KPI systems are drawn from corporate strategy, they would also serve an integrative purpose, as each department pays attention to every other. The data would reflect the necessity of working efficiently together and maximizing internal relationships and processes between parts of the organization.

However, in practice, it is much too easy to become myopic and focus on increasing one's own department's metrics above all other considerations. After all, bonus and incentive schemes are usually employed in conjunction with these objective measurement systems. By holding a measures conference, management can help to ensure that dialogue between the different levels, groups, and people in the company will flourish. Communication between the different parts of an organization is critical for its continued success and overall alignment toward its goals. After all, you would not expect to be able to execute complicated feats without having all your components in perfect working order and in agreement with one another.

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