What To Measure…?

I have a friend who is very adamant that measurement is, to quote, “everything”. Bold that and italicize it.

And here’s the problem that we both agree (and have reaffirmed to one another many times over the years) comes up over and over again: what we do measure isn’t what we SHOULD measure. And that’s a huge problem.

Here’s why: humans make decisions based on data, and we like seemingly objective data best of all. “Objective” is an interesting word. It implies a certain degree of trustworthiness, of impartiality towards an outcome based on the best information possible. However, objective data can be junk, too, and when it is, helps you arrive at solutions no better than those based on pure, irrational emotion. In fact, I’ll take my gut over junk data any day of the week, thank you very much.

The key, then, isn’t to identify objective data so much as it is to identify the RIGHT data. This is true in business as much as it is in art or science or any aspect of our personal lives. The solution is best designed with a clear understanding of the problem. “No duh!” right? Then why do we see so much “duh” around us?

It’s far better to spend less time on the charts and graphs and assumptions and more time answering the question, “What to measure? What to measure…?”