Metrics: Effectivess Versus Efficiency

Before you go through improving processes, try and understand how the process is working today.

How do you know if the process is working? Try and get to know how the process is measured and analyzed. What are the metrics? Are these metrics related to Effectiveness or are they related to Efficiency?

Are they these the same? No

Effectiveness means that the job was done correctly. Whereas, efficiency means that the job was accomplished on time.

Another way to look at it...you hire a data entry person who has to enter data into multiple spreadsheets/data systems. How do you know if this person is working properly and is doing the job you hired them for?

(1) Did you have to correct the data? If yes how many times did you do so? Effectiveness.
(2) Did the person complete the activity within the time allocated? Efficiency.

Each and every process should ideally have measurement of effectiveness and efficiency. If these metrics don’t exist; Work with management, key stakeholders, process owners and the worker bees to define these.

Don’t stop here, having measurements/metrics doesn't mean everyone will adhere to these. In order to ensure adherence to standards, you will need a governance/accountability system.

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