MIL-HDBK-502 - Barringer and Associates, Inc.

MIL-HDBK-502: ACQUISITIONALOGISTICSby enablers—those tools or techniques that assist in shaping the design ofthe processes. The balance between controls and enablers assists in thedesign of a good metric.6.3.2 Characteristics of a Good MetricWhat distinguishes a good metric? A good metric:• Is imposed on the organization that controls the processproducing the metric.• Is accepted as meaningful by the customer, e.g., user, procuringagency, etc..• Shows how well goals and objectives are being met throughprocesses and tasks.• Measures something useful (valid) and measures it consistentlyover time (reliable).• Reveals a trend.• Is defined unambiguously.• Has economical data collection.• Is timely.6.3.3 Developing Good Metrics• Has clear cause and effect relationship between what ismeasured and the intended use of the information.Developing a good metric is a systematic process. The following stepsexplain how to produce one.1. Identify your purpose. Your purpose must be aligned with yourorganization’s mission. What do you need to measure? Why? What is yourend purpose?2. Begin with your customer. Your job is to define the who, what, when,why, and how in sufficient detail to permit consistent, repeatable, and validmeasurement to take place. Who is your customer? What are his or herexpectations? Your job is to define characteristics of the product, service,or process which can be measured internally, and which, if improved,would better satisfy expectations. This is the first element of your metricpackage.6-16