Sunday, July 14, 2013

Design, Data, and Display

Harbour, J. L. (2011). The Three “Ds” of Successful Performance Measurement: Design, Data, and Display. Performance Improvement, 50(2), 5 – 12. doi:10.1002/pfi.20195


Dr. Harbour covers three critical aspects of performance measurement: Design, Data, and Display. He posits that Design is often overlooked as a key element that needs to be carefully thought through before any other steps are taken. He recommends a top-down approach in order to avoid missing important data during the collection process. Data is presented as straightforward metrics. Display is discussed as a critical tool in analyzing the data collected. He points out that it is important to select the right data categories to display; that the “dash-board” is only as good as it’s design and inputs.

The audience for this article is the HPT practitioner. His discussion on the Display aspects is worth the read on its own. It is not obtuse or overly academic, but rather takes a practical application approach. I found myself wondering about the display portion as it relates to some of the projects I am currently working on. I am hoping it will provide some clarity that is currently needed.


All in all, a worthwhile read.

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