What is a Key Performance Indicator (KPI)? - KPI.org (2024)

Peter Drucker famously said, “What gets measured gets done.” Measurement is an essential management tool, as it helps us determine if our work is making an impact, demonstrate value, manage resources, and focus improvement efforts.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are the critical (key) quantifiable indicators of progress toward an intended result. KPIs provide a focus for strategic and operational improvement, create an analytical basis for decision making and help focus attention on what matters most.

Managing with the use of KPIs includes setting targets (the desired level of performance) and tracking progress against those targets.

Managing with KPIs often means working to improve performance using leading indicators, which are precursors of future success, that will later drive desired impacts indicated with lagging measures.

What is a Key Performance Indicator (KPI)? - KPI.org (2024)

FAQs

What is a Key Performance Indicator (KPI)? - KPI.org? ›

KPI stands for key performance indicator, a quantifiable measure of performance over time for a specific objective. KPIs provide targets for teams to shoot for, milestones to gauge progress, and insights that help people across the organization make better decisions.

What is key performance indicator for it? ›

An IT KPI or key performance indicator helps to keep track of all relevant aspects of quality regarding an IT project. KPIs help deliver projects on budget and time by analyzing and optimizing the IT ticket management, IT problem-solving and IT cost management.

What is a key performance indicator quizlet? ›

Key Performance Indicators (KPI) a set of quantifiable measures that a company uses to gauge its performance over time. KPIs. used to determine a company's progress in achieving its strategic and operational goals.

What is the best description of key performance indicators KPI? ›

Key performance indicators (KPIs) A key performance indicator (KPI) is a quantifiable metric that measures the performance or progress of specific business goals and objectives. Common KPIs include revenue, customer satisfaction, customer lifetime value (CLV), and conversion rate (CVR), and return on ad spend (ROAS).

What is an example of a KPI? ›

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) gauge the success of a business, organization, or individual in reaching specific objectives. The KPIs can differ based on industry, company, and personal objectives. Popular KPI examples include customer satisfaction, employee retention, revenue growth, and cost reduction.

What is the difference between KPI and key performance indicator? ›

Key performance indicators are data that show you just how good you are at attaining your business goals. Meanwhile, metrics track the status of your business processes. With KPIs, you will know if you're hitting your overall business targets, while metrics focus on the performance of specific business processes.

What are the 4 main types of performance indicators? ›

Anyway, the four KPIs that always come out of these workshops are:
  • Customer Satisfaction,
  • Internal Process Quality,
  • Employee Satisfaction, and.
  • Financial Performance Index.

What is an example of a smart KPI? ›

A simple KPI goal might be “shorten sales cycle length,” which tracks the average time it takes from initial contact to closing a sale. A SMART KPI goal would be “Decreasing sales cycle length by 5% each month to decrease sales costs by 15% by the end of Q4.”

What are KPI for employees? ›

Employee key performance indicators (KPIs) are objective performance standards that set benchmarks for success. KPIs quickly reveal whether your employees are on track to meet their goals. They reduce bias, increase transparency, and provide insight into performance trends.

How do you create a key performance indicator? ›

How to Develop Sales KPIs
  1. Determine the Key Strategic Objectives. ...
  2. Describe the Intended Results. ...
  3. Understand Alternative Performance Measures. ...
  4. Select the Right Measure(s) For Each Objective. ...
  5. Define Composite Indices as Needed. ...
  6. Set Targets and Thresholds. ...
  7. Define and Document Selected Performance Measures.
May 10, 2021

What is an example of a bad KPI? ›

For example, say your business had a KPI along the lines of “make the workplace neater” or something else similarly vague. In this instance, employees might clean up their desks and make their workspaces nicer, but still fall short of the goal because there's no measurable standard.

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