Most leadership dashboards carry measures that were chosen because the data was available. The result is a view that reports conditions without helping anyone decide what to do about them. These eight tests separate a measure that supports a decision from one that only fills space.
Score a measure
Choose one measure currently in front of leadership. Check each test it meets today, not the ones it is expected to meet after the next system upgrade.
Check the tests the measure meets today.
The result will show whether it is ready for a leadership view.
Reading the result
| Score | What it means |
|---|---|
| 8 | Ready for a leadership view. The measure can support a decision. |
| 6 to 7 | Usable, with specific gaps to close. Most often the driver or the decision test. |
| 3 to 5 | A team-level working measure. Keep it in operational reporting until the gaps are closed. |
| 0 to 2 | Not yet a measure. Start with the owner, the definition, and the source. |
The tests follow the order in which gaps usually need to be closed. A measure without an owner and a definition cannot be trusted, and a measure that cannot be trusted will not be used to decide anything. For how measures connect to drivers, initiatives, and outcomes, see From strategy to owned work.