Big hairy audacious goals are scary. So are stretch targets. So scary that most of the time we avoid them or ignore them. What we don't realise is, that by avoiding them because we can't guarantee we will meet them, we end up guaranteeing a fate worse than failure.

Darrell U. asks: "What are the definitions of performance measurement terms... metric vs. measure, performance indicator vs. key performance indicator?"

This is an excerpt from the Measure Up Podcast: A Case Study interview with Bec Bach, a Performance Analysis and Reporting Consultant who helps South Australian schools use data and evidence for improvement planning.

by Mariko Mishiro and Stacey Barr Needless to say, "Action Plans" are very important for every organization. However, when it comes to setting KPIs, "Action without a Clear Goal" is equal to "doing NOTHING" or even wasting your time and resources before you notice.

IN THIS EPISODE: Feature: Setting Sensible Targets For Your KPIs. Q&A: Does every performance measure need a target? Quick Tip: How to best display a target on your KPI graph. (more…)

IN THIS EPISODE: Article: 7 KPI New Year's Resolutions Q&A: How do you convince busy managers that they should spend time developing the right measures? Quick Tip: Start with a Pilot Project to build momentum and engagement.

Most of us know we need feedback from customers in order to make service delivery and product design more in line with customer needs and expectations. But too often, our customer surveys fail to get truly focused and actionable data.

Lots of strategic plans and operational plans are full of motherhood goals, vague strategies and - if they are even considered at all - measures or KPIs that don't track anything useful. No wonder these plans sit on shelves and gather dust.