metrics Archives

What Is A Key Performance Indicator (KPI)?

Identifying the Right KPI for Your Business is Critical to Managing the Performance of the Business (Part 1)

“What gets measured, gets done” and Key Performance Indicators (KPI) are critical to measuring the performance of the organization and business. So what specifically is a KPI? According to the The Professionals Guide To Maintenance And Reliability Terminology, a KPI is a vital indicator which is used to evaluate process performance. KPIs are used to represents a measure (or set of metrics) focusing on those aspects of organizational performance that are the most critical for the current and future success of the organization. [Read more…]

by James Kovacevic Leave a Comment

How to Measure Success: The 7 Key Performance Indicators You Must Measure

Being able to see what world class Reliability & Maintenance looks like is one thing. Communicating that success and level of performance to non-maintenance people can be difficult. Not to mention, that we always need to improve, and how can we if we only use qualitative measures?

I remember one time, trying to explain how Maintenance Planning & Scheduling has improved our maintenance department. I used explanations like; “The team isn’t wandering around looking for parts” and “They don’t need to leave the job to get the manuals anymore”. I was met with blank stares and was asked “How much were we saving on labour” and “How much were we able to reduce planned downtime”. [Read more…]

by Fred Schenkelberg Leave a Comment

Rewards and Incentives Have an Impact On Reliability

A maxim of business management is to measure what is important.

The focus on aligning metrics, rewards, and incentives is not a new concept. Many businesses create target focused incentives with the expectation it will assist achieving those important business goals.

In many cases, simply monitoring a metric improve the team’s ability to achieve a specific goal.

In some cases, though, achieving the goal and associated incentive has an associated negative impact on the business.

If you offer a bonus for a short-term behavior or goal and offer nothing to balance with the long-term impact.

Your incentive may actually damage your business in the long term. [Read more…]

by Fred Schenkelberg Leave a Comment

Do Your KPIs Adversely Impact Reliability?

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are measurable values related to essential business objectives.

A KPI provides a means to monitor the performance of a specific function.

In larger organizations, with sales & marketing, research & development, operations, supply chain and other teams working to bring products to market, each department has a specific role. [Read more…]

by Kirk Gray Leave a Comment

Reliability Paradigm Shift From Time to Stress Metrics

Traditional electronics reliability engineering began during the period of infancy in solid state electronic hardware. The first comprehensive guide to Failure Prediction Methodology (FPM) premiered in 1956 with the publication of the RCA release TR-1100: “Reliability Stress Analysis for Electronic Equipment” presented models for computing rates of component failures. “RADC Reliability Notebook” emerged later in 1959, followed by the publication of a military handbook know as that addressed reliability prediction known as Military Handbook for [Read more…]