Performance Metrics: Bringing It Home, Part 3 2

5. Start a pilot project. A pilot project should be small, but with a measurable impact. The project will introduce the formal metrics process into the enterprise and demonstrate the benefits of the concept. The first step in developing the pilot project will be to create a baseline for the current state of the target process area so that you can show the effectiveness of the metrics program.

6. Develop an internal business intelligence (BI) perspective. BI need not be restricted to external applications. You can use metrics to consider how a portfolio approach could work for analysis across the enterprise. The BI perspective has given rise to performance management and BAM. As part of this step, consider what are the most effective methods, processes, and formats for presenting BI (via dashboards, portals, and so on) to users throughout your organization.

7. Communicate, communicate, communicate! Once the enterprise's user community sees the power that visibility into the business that a metrics portfolio makes possible, demand will explode. Wide access, along with proper training, will give the organization an optimal chance of success.

These steps in implementing a metrics portfolio complement closely related efforts, such as Six Sigma, performance management, BAM, and others. By bringing these efforts together through comprehensive, conformed metrics, your organization will seen even greater benefits than what may be achieved by each initiative alone.

An Epic Journey

When you develop a metrics portfolio for your organization, you're taking the first steps of an epic journey. The goal — true corporate visibility — isn't easily attained. But the rewards can be extraordinary. Bon voyage!

Gary T. Smith [[email protected]] is a consultant with 25 years of experience in all areas of IT, including IT directorship, project management, and consultancy to support global enterprises working with BI, data warehousing, and Oracle database management.