Reporting & KPIs.What to track.What to decide.
A report is useful when it answers a business question. SIXIS defines indicators, sources and reporting frequency so figures can be compared and used to make decisions.
A report is useful when it answers a business question. SIXIS defines indicators, sources and reporting frequency so figures can be compared and used to make decisions.
Tell us what you need to watch See how we workWhen numbers don't work
at o clear decision.
An operational indicator must have a common meaning for the people who report it and for those who act on it.
The same result has several values.
Teams calculate delayed orders, the duration of a job or the number of closed cases differently. One report uses the request date, another the confirmation date. The discussion stops at reconciling the numbers instead of clarifying the issue.
Report shows activity but not deadlock.
Tasks and documents are counted, but it is not visible what is waiting for a decision or where the remaining volume increases. The available figures are presented without being linked to a question and a person who can intervene.
Indicators do not have a checking rhythm.
The report is prepared upon request, sometimes after the matter has become urgent. It is not clear when the data is updated, who checks the deviation and how the measure decided at the previous discussion is followed up.
Common definitions.
A rhythm of verification.
We build a set of indicators that the team can explain, verify and use in the current work.
We can begin with a single trial. There is no need for a complex dashboard if simple and consistent reporting answers the company's questions.
The SIXIS collaboration modelWe start from the necessary decisions.
We determine what you need to know and what you could change depending on the answer. We choose questions such as the remaining workload, compliance with deadlines or the causes of follow-ups. We separate the indicators for current control from the analysis of occasional problems.
From you Recurring decisions and matters the team must pursue.
We define each indicator.
We specify what is included, what is excluded, the formula and the calculation period. We set out how we deal with cancellations, reopened cases and missing data. Where useful, we break down the output by activity type to avoid comparisons between very different situations.
From you Operational meaning of states and cases that may change calculation.
We verify data sources and quality.
We identify the required fields, the people who complete them and the time of the update. We calculate on a verifiable sample and compare with examples known to the team. A missing or unconfirmed value remains visible without being converted to zero.
From you Access to agreed sources and a person responsible for data validation.
We establish reporting and reaction.
We agree on the frequency, addressees and appropriate form for the discussion. For indicators that require action, we determine who is verifying the deviation and what additional information is required. The targets are validated with the company, taking into account the capacity and the initial situation.
From you Decision makers, work rate and maintainable targets.
We use the ratio and adjust the definitions.
We monitor whether the data arrives on time and whether the results lead to concrete measures. We keep the decisions and the verification deadline. If the formula or source changes, we mark the change so as not to present the periods as directly comparable.
From you Feedback from those using the report and confirmation of agreed measures.
A WORKING EXAMPLE
Pending orders.
Different causes.
A manufacturing firm wants to know why the number of backorders is increasing. Some are waiting for the materials, some are waiting for a confirmation from the customer, and some are overdue.
- We define what arrears means.
- We separate orders that are still on time from those that are delayed and those that are suspended with a known reason. The reference date and inclusion conditions are the same for the production and the customer interviewer.
- We show the cause, not just the total.
- The report preserves the relevant groups and the age of the wait. A lack of material does not require the same measure as a lack of agreement from the customer. Cases without a completed reason are flagged for verification.
- We verify the measure taken.
- At the next reporting, the team sees what has been resolved and where the volume has increased again. The decision about sourcing or prioritizing work can be evaluated in the same framework, without changing the definition from one week to the next.
RELATED CAPABILITIES
From the dates
at a useful image.
The definition of indicators, the collection of data and their presentation are related things, but each has its own checks.
Process mapping
Shows the stages and blockages that indicators must follow.
Dashboards
Present the validated indicators in a form suitable for their verification and analysis.
APIs & synchronization
May fetch agreed data from compatible sources and flag update differences.
Sales reporting
Tracks the specific results and bottlenecks of the commercial process.
Questions about
indicators and reports.
What we choose to measure, how we keep the meaning of the numbers and what we can conclude from them.
What does KPI mean in this collaboration?
An indicator chosen to track an important outcome of the activity, with a definition and an accountable person. Not every available figure needs to become a KPI. We choose indicators that help a decision and that the company can calculate consistently enough.
How many indicators should we have?
Depends on the process and the decisions pursued. We start with a small set that the team can use and validate. A report with many figures can hide the main problem. We add details when they explain a deviation or support a distinct decision.
Can you set performance targets yourself?
We can propose how to choose targets based on the initial situation and known capability. The firm validates the objectives and the necessary resources. We do not invent universal thresholds and do not automatically turn an indicator into a criterion for individual evaluation of people.
What do we do if the data is incomplete?
We identify the deficiencies, their effect on the calculation, and who can correct them. The report shows the limits of the result. Sometimes it is more useful to start with a simple and verifiable record than to combine many sources that do not have consistent definitions or data.
Must reporting be real-time?
Not for any decision. We determine how quickly the situation changes and when the team can act. The update also depends on the sources. A fair weekly report may be sufficient, and a permanently displayed value is not necessarily permanently updated.
Do I also automatically receive a dashboard?
The form of presentation is chosen depending on the use. It can be a periodic report, a common record or a dashboard. A dedicated dashboard also involves the design of visualization, filters and access. We do not treat it as a substitute for correct definitions.
How do we avoid wrong comparisons between periods?
We keep the same definitions and mark changes in source, formula, or working conditions. We check that the volume and type of activity are comparable. A variation may have a context explanation; we don't automatically present it as performance improvement or degradation.
What must we prepare for the beginning?
Some extant reports, their sources, and the questions they do not answer. We also need people who know the meaning of states and data. We then choose a process and check whether the proposed indicators can be calculated and used.
What question remains
without a clear answer?
Show us a report you use and a decision that is still difficult to make. We can start from the missing definitions, sources and explanations.