Metrics: How to Improve Key Business Results
Copyright 2011 by Martin Klubeck
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. Exempted from this legal reservation are brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis or material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the Copyright Law of the Publisher's location, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Permissions for use may be obtained through RightsLink at the Copyright Clearance Center. Violations are liable to prosecution under the respective Copyright Law.
ISBN-13 (pbk): 978-1-4302-3726-6
ISBN-13 (electronic): 978-1-4302-3727-3
Trademarked names, logos, and images may appear in this book. Rather than use a trademark symbol with every occurrence of a trademarked name, logo, or image we use the names, logos, and images only in an editorial fashion and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark.
The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights.
While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein
President and Publisher: Paul Manning
Lead Editor: Jeff Olson
Technical Reviewer: Russ Cheesman
Editorial Board: Steve Anglin, Mark Beckner, Ewan Buckingham, Gary Cornell,
Morgan Ertel, Jonathan Gennick, Jonathan Hassell, Robert Hutchinson, Michelle
Lowman, James Markham, Matthew Moodie, Jeff Olson, Jeffrey Pepper, Douglas
Pundick, Ben Renow-Clarke, Dominic Shakeshaft, Gwenan Spearing, Matt
Wade, Tom Welsh
Coordinating Editor: Annie Beck
Copy Editor: Kimberly Burton
Compositor: Mary Sudul
Indexer: SPi Global
Artists: Martin Klubeck and Alyssa Klubeck
Cover Designer: Anna Ishchenko
Distributed to the book trade worldwide by Springer Science+Business Media New York, 233 Spring Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10013. Phone 1-800-SPRINGER, fax (201) 348-4505, e-mail .
For information on translations, please e-mail .
Apress and friends of ED books may be purchased in bulk for academic, corporate, or promotional use. eBook versions and licenses are also available for most titles. For more information, reference our Special Bulk SaleseBook Licensing web page at www.apress.com/bulk-sales
.
To all those struggling to improve their
organizations, their processes, or themselves.
Spend your time chasing your dreams, not data.
To my father: I miss you greatly. My major hope
through my writing is to make you proud.
Contents
Chapter 1: Establishing a Common Language: Data, and Measures, and
Information, OH MY!
About the Author
Martin Klubeck is a strategy and planning consultant at the University of Notre Dame and a recognized expert in the field of practical metrics. He holds a master's degree from Webster University in human resources development and a bachelor's in computer science from Chapman University. He is coauthor of Why Organizations Struggle So Hard to Improve So Little and numerous articles on metrics. His passion for simplifying the complex has led to the development of a simple system for developing meaningful metrics. Klubeck is also the founder of the Consortium for the Establishment of Information Technology Performance Standards, a nonprofit organization focused on providing much-needed standards for measures.
About the Technical Reviewer
Russ Cheesman is a senior information technology professional and consultant with experiences in all phases of the System Development Life Cycle. Much of his career had been devoted to enabling IT solutions for business problems and/or opportunities. He has served as an IT manager and practitioner in many industry sectors, including banking/financial, manufacturing, construction, retail, pharmaceutical, telecommunications, and health care. Mr. Cheesman, in recent years, has been practicing business performance measurement and management within several IT and health care organizations through the use of business strategy, balanced scorecards, metrics, key performance indicators, and business analytical systems.
Mr. Cheesman was happy to serve as the senior technical reviewer for this book and related concepts on metrics, and looks forward to its release and subsequent value to all those individuals, groups, and organizations that desire improvement, continuous maturation, and peak performance.
Acknowledgments
The purpose of an acknowledgment, as I understand it, is to let those people who helped make this achievement possible know that I didn't forget their contributions. This chore makes this easily the most stressful part of writing a book.
I don't want to forget any of my friends or colleagues who helped me by reviewing, critiquing, or suggesting edits to the work as it was in progress, especially: Don Padgett, Danita Leese, Leah Lang, Keith (Mac) McIntosh, Marin Stanek, and my brother Irving. Thanks for the short-notice reads. Thanks for the kind words. And thanks for being there.
Of course, Russ Cheesman has to be thanked for his work as my technical reviewer. Although Russ and I disagreed as often as we agreed about metrics and their use, when asked for a recommendation, I immediately thought of Russ for the job. His honest and passionate position, his large knowledge base, and his expertise made him an easy choice. Thanks, Russ, for your hard work, your many suggestions, and your honest appraisals.
I want to give a special thanks to Michael Langthorne. Not only were you my most dependable reviewer, but your early and consistent encouragement to take this journey, on my own, was instrumental to me starting and finishing this work. I appreciate your help, guidance, and gentle but steady shoves very much. Thanks. I truly could not have done this without you.
I also want to thank Jeff Olson, Kimberly Burton, and Annie Beck. Although you made up the Apress editorial team, and were just doing your jobs, I can't say I saw you that way. I greatly appreciate your help. You were honest, consistent, and fair. You were focused on producing the best product possible for Apress while showing sincere concern for my position as an author. Someday, if the chance ever arrives, I'm buying the first round.
Last, but as the saying goes, not least, I want to thank my family. Especially my wife, Kristine. This time around, you successfully feigned interest in my progress, if not in the work itself. I appreciate the effort and I love you dearly. Alyssa, thanks for your help with the fairy tales and allowing me to use your art work for the book. I look forward to seeing your name on more jacket covers. I love you.