This document provides guidance on developing effective performance measures. It includes examples of performance measures for different organizational levels and common mistakes to avoid. The first sample outlines steps to develop measures such as setting goals, identifying critical processes, and designing output and process measures. The second sample identifies twelve common problems like measures not being balanced, quantifiable, or aligned with objectives. It also includes a performance measurement matrix to help develop measures across cost, quality, and time.

1. PERFORMANCE
MEASURES GUIDE

2. 1 Source: protiviti

3. 2 Source: protiviti
Table of Contents
PERFORMANCE MEASURES GUIDE: SAMPLE 1 ..................................................................................................3
PERFORMANCE MEASURES GUIDE: SAMPLE 2 ..................................................................................................4

4. 3 Source: protiviti
PERFORMANCE MEASURES GUIDE: SAMPLE 1
• Develop a corporate strategy that uses the input of the leadership of the organization, the expectations of the
various stakeholder groups and best practices (e.g., maintain customer loyalty through new product
development versus lowering prices).
• Communicate the strategy and need for a new performance measurement system (e.g., one-hour
companywide meeting).
• Develop goals (e.g., get products to the market 50% faster over the next two years).
• Identify the critical processes.
− Identify the major process of the organization. Start with an understanding of what the customer receives
from the organization and work backward to the organization. This distinguishes the primary, support and
management processes.
− Identify the critical process by using the goals of the organization as the criteria.
• Design and develop output measures.
− Identify customers.
− Identify and understand customers’ expectations of the process.
− Filter and prioritize customers’ expectations based on the goals of the organization.
− Select output performance measures.
− Set targets.
• Identify key activities in the new process.
− Define the process (e.g., where it starts and stops and the inputs to the process).
− Document the process (e.g., process mapping).
− Identify critical tasks in the process.
• Design process performance measures for each key activity.
− Examine the goals of the organization.
− Use the cost, quality and time criteria as a guide in the selection of the process performance measures.
− Determine what and how to measure (e.g., early supplier involvement – have suppliers involved by a
specific date).
− Validate these process performance measures.
− Determine whether the performance measures are attribute or variable. Measurement is simple with
attribute measures (yes or no). Variable measures are used to continuously improve the process or to elicit
the reasons for a “no” attribute measure.
• Implement and continuously improve.
− Gain management signoff.
− Present the plan to process employees or include them in aspects of this effort.
− Start measuring and reporting.

5. 4 Source: protiviti
PERFORMANCE MEASURES GUIDE: SAMPLE 2
The first part of this guide identifies twelve common problems with individual or group performance measures.
During a review of performance measures, this guide can alert an internal auditor about potential problems to
watch out for.
The second part of this guide is a performance measurement matrix that helps an organization understand and
develop several performance measures (cost, quality and time) across multiple levels (organization, process and
people). The matrix illustrates how quantum performance is achieved by providing optimum value, which is
measured using cost and quality measures. Optimum service is measured using quality and time measures.
The guide can help you create a systematic approach to developing, implementing and using performance
measures. The audit team should emphasize that performance measures should only be developed after the
organization has articulated its strategy, identified its critical processes and set its goals.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES ARE NOT BALANCED
Measures must be balanced across the types and the levels in the performance measurement matrix (below).
Cost measures used alone could motivate employees to reduce quality along with costs. Customer satisfaction
measures without any other balancing measures could deteriorate profits.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES ARE NOT ALIGNED WITH COMPANY OBJECTIVES
People act as they are measured. The performance measures must be consistent with company objectives.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES ARE INACCURATE
The measures may be calculated wrong, exclude certain data, etc. This is a simple problem for auditors to test
and identify.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES ARE NOT KNOWN
One of the most common mistakes is that employees may not be aware of the performance measures. Measures
may not have been distributed or posted and are not taken seriously.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOCUS ON OUTPUT ONLY
The measures may focus only on the end product instead of on the process. The end defects in a manufacturing
process may be measured without measuring the number of steps required, the number of people trained or the
number of engineering changes. This does not help identify or diagnose problems.
THERE ARE TOO MANY PERFORMANCE MEASURES
Too many performance measures are confusing. People are unable to focus on any of them.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES ARE NOT QUANTIFIABLE
"Good" and "fast" are not quantifiably measurable.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES: TWELVE COMMON MISTAKES

6. 5 Source: protiviti
PERFORMANCE MEASURES ARE NOT CONTROLLABLE
Employees must be able to affect the measure by changing (i.e., improving) their performance.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES ARE NOT ACTED ON
The performance measures may not violate any of the above but may simply be ignored or explained away
without determining the root cause.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES MAY FOCUS TOO MUCH ON THE SHORT TERM
Focusing on the short term is an easy mistake. The quality of training should be measured by surveying
participants at the end of the session and assessing how the training improved performance on the job.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES ARE TOO COMPLEX
The measures may be so complex and difficult to understand. Employee surveys can help determine this.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES ARE NON-EXISTENT
There may not be any measures at all or only measures at the people level, for example.
Quantum Performance
Value Service
Cost Quality Time
Organization
• Financial
• Operational
• Strategic
• Empathy
• Productivity
• Reliability
• Credibility
• Competence
• Velocity
• Flexibility
• Responsiveness
• Resilience
Process
• Input
• Activities
• Conformance
• Productivity
• Velocity
• Flexibility
People
• Compensation
• Development
• Motivation
• Reliability
• Credibility
• Competence
• Responsiveness
• Resilience
PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT MATRIX