Reporting, Metrics, and Continuous Improvement
This domain tests the measurement layer: which metrics show whether a workflow is healthy, how to define them, and how to improve without gaming the numbers.
Core concepts
- Define each metric: numerator, denominator, data source, owner, cadence, and target.
- Process measures: cycle time, throughput, service-level compliance, first-pass yield, rework rate, budget variance, and adoption.
- Business measures: utilization, realization, collection, and margin.
- Distinguish leading from lagging indicators and process measures from individual performance.
- Improvement: baseline, root cause with 5 Whys or a fishbone diagram, PDCA or DMAIC, pilot, standardize, monitor.
- Data quality: define at source, validate at entry, reconcile to the system of record.
Worked example
Intake cycle time falls from five days to two, but rework rises. Reasoning: speed without first-pass yield may mean incomplete intake is pushed downstream. Pair cycle time with first-pass yield and downstream rework, then improve form validation and routing. Do not celebrate the cycle-time drop alone.
Traps
Measuring people instead of process; no baseline; averages hiding outliers; changing definitions mid-stream; dashboards with no decision owner; vanity metrics.