M.E.T.R.I.C.S

M| Measure
E | Everything
T | That
R | Requires
I  | Improvement &
C | Customer
S | Satisfaction

The M.E.T.R.I.C.S acronym is not mine and I would give credit if I knew whose it was, because this is something I have been a believer in for a long time. I also realize that it is not always easy to do but absent good metrics, you are flying blind. You may have good instincts and a good feel for what is happening, but you will never really know what is happening in your plant or with your customers.

You can only know by measurement; you can only know from data.

Simply collecting the data is not enough. I’ve been in plants that measure performance and collect reams of data, which then gets filed away. There may be some summary reports for management, but the people who really need the information, out on the floor, never see it. It’s like bowling through a curtain that I discussed recently.

I’ve been in other plants that prominently display the data on posters or monitors for all to see. Needless to say, I heartily favor this second approach.

How the data is collected can be another issue. Some plants rely on manual data collection. Most collection is done in good faith, but someone will always try to game the system. However, more common than manipulation is error because the data was not collected contemporaneously.

All data should be collected automatically rather than manually. Where it can’t be collected automatically, tablets or even cell phones can be used to enter information at the time and point of the event. Today’s ERP systems have enough power to easily process and report this information in real time.

It must be reported in real time; stale data makes it difficult to take effective action.

Finally, it’s not enough to just collect and report the data. There must be controls in place to make sure that the data is acted upon. Unless action happens, all it does is give a warm feeling. You can get that more easily in a hot tub and it’s usually more fun.

Is your plant data driven? If it’s not, it doesn’t matter how good you are, you have a lot of room for improvement.

“To measure is to know” – Lord Kelvin William Thomson