In the last several years, data and metrics have become a large topic of conversation. Across our organizations we need to focus on measurement that is visible, clear, and supports real-time decision-making. Despite the conversations, there is still a lot of discrepancy in how to achieve good metrics.
Here’s how weak or unclear measurement shows up in day-to-day work:
- Teams reporting on different versions of the truth
- Metrics that don’t link back to business goals
- Delays in decision-making due to missing or unclear data
- Dashboards that confuse more than clarify
Work Measurement can close these gaps, helping teams to visualize their metrics and ensure the value of their work over time.
Work Measurement: Ensure the Value
Work Measurement is about more than just collecting data. We want to take the most important measurements of our work and tell a clear story.
It helps teams answer the key question: Is the work we’re doing actually creating the value we want it to?
When Work Measurement is in place, teams gain shared clarity around:
- What success looks like, in measurable terms
- Which metrics matter most in decision-making
- How progress is tracked and made visible
- How work connects to outcomes over time
We don’t need to create complex dashboards with every possible KPI. But we do want to focus on the key measurements that tell you the health of your work and make those visible to the right people at the right time.
Case in Point: A Manufacturing Company Reclaims Control with Better Forecasting
One client, a manufacturer, was facing the bullwhip effect post-pandemic. Demand was all over the place, inventory was piling up, and they were considering a second warehouse just to store excess stock.
We were brought in to help stabilize production planning. But we quickly saw the issue was deeper than forecasting alone. The team didn’t trust the data they had, and the tools they were using weren’t helping them make decisions.
Here’s what we helped them do:
- Define clear project phases, roles, and equations to align the team
- Build a real-time forecasting tool in Power BI, driven by customer data
- Use the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Adjust) cycle to iterate quickly
- Integrate the model into daily business rhythms to sustain it
Once the right measurements were in place, the impact followed:
- 50% reduction in weeks of supply
- $12 million in avoided costs (no new warehouse needed)
- Improved team confidence in forecasting
- Greater visibility for strategic decision-making
- Strengthened customer trust through better delivery alignment
Why It Matters: Clarity Drives Confidence
When teams operate with clear Work Measurement:
- They can see what’s working and what’s not
- They make better decisions, faster
- They spend less time debating numbers and more time acting
- They build alignment, accountability, and momentum
The cost of vague measurement is real. We’ve seen organizations delay major decisions by weeks, or make the wrong call altogether, because they couldn’t see the
story clearly.
Work Measurement prevents that. With the right information we can shift from noise to narrative, and from reactive to proactive.
Work Measurement and the Bigger Picture
Work Measurement connects directly to the rest of the Work Excellence Method:
- Work Direction defines purpose and success
- Work System maps how work flows
- Work Improvement turns ideas into action
- Work Routine sustains it all
Together, they create a framework for visible, sustained performance. But none of it works without clarity. And clarity comes from measurement.
If your team is running hard but struggling to track what’s working, better Work Measurement might be the key.
Explore how Work Measurement fits into the full Work Excellence Method.