The target was hit every month last year. That is the finding.

A metric that never misses is carrying information, just not the information the dashboard implies. On reading variance instead of level.

By Steve 5 min read
Abstract bridge artwork for The target was hit every month last year. That is the finding.

Somewhere in most monthly reporting packs is a number that has been green for a year. On-time delivery against a 95% target. Utilisation against 80%. Gross margin against 40%. Nobody discusses it, because there is nothing to discuss: it hit. The meeting moves to the metrics that missed. That is usually the wrong way round. A metric that has not moved in twelve months is one of the most informative lines in the pack, and what it is telling you is rarely “this is under control”. Three ways a number…

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