Process and knowledge management
Process metrics
Which metrics show whether a workflow improves, how they are linked and how to introduce them without getting lost in reports.
What we measure
A good process metric is easy to collect, can be influenced by those involved and shows whether the workflow is getting closer to its purpose. For workflows in design and site management a few metrics have proven themselves:
| Metric | What it shows | Typical measuring points |
|---|---|---|
| Lead time | How long an item takes from trigger to result | Drawing received to drawing approved |
| Work in progress | How many items are in progress at the same time | Open reviews on a cut-off date |
| First pass yield | Share of items that pass without rework | Approvals in the first round per all approvals |
| Flow efficiency1 | Share of actual work in the lead time | Processing time per lead time |
| Schedule adherence2 | Share of items finished by the committed date | Completed on time per items due |
Work in progress, throughput and lead time
Three metrics are firmly linked: in a steady state, the average lead time equals the average work in progress divided by the throughput (Little’s law).3
Introducing a metric
- Set the goal: which question should the metric answer?
- Define start and end point unambiguously.
- Clarify the data source, ideally without extra recording.
- Collect the baseline before anything is changed.
- Agree a regular meeting in which the metric is discussed.
What a workflow looks like before and after the change is shown in Modelling processes with BPMN.