Catalogue of KPI Examples

Posted by AmandaTom on August 1st, 2013

Performance cannot exist without setting at least one goal on the long term. This is what a KPI template aims for. Once a particular objective has been defined, monitoring performance allows you to step in and make key decisions at the right time. There are thousands of KPI examples available online, but only the right combination will help you improve your business’s performance and create the outcome you have desired.

Key performance indicators, or KPI, as they are also known help a company or an organization measure its progress according to its initial goals. For beginners, that are trying to make an understanding of what these strategy tools are, the amount of information available might be a little overwhelming. A simple search on google leads to thousands of references in seconds. This can only prove the importance of working with such indicators. Therefore, the question is inevitable: what is it that makes their existence crucial for the wellbeing of a company?

Key performance indicators are quantifiable measures that provide an outlook of a company’s performance towards its goals, as the name says it. Their use is essential for decision makers because it allows them to take action at the right time in the right manner in order to achieve the desired outcomes. KPIs are usually a result of a long term evolution of a company. Generally, everyone inside the organization has access to these performance markers, as they are distributed in dashboards and scorecards in proportion as they are being monitored. This facilitates improvement on critical operations, as well as learning and understanding of the processes across the business.

But if you haven’t worked with a KPI template before, how do you know where to start? Setting your goals is the first step when beginning with KPIs. You must use the KPI template to create a statement which is in line with the company’s objectives. Financial performance is also important, but building a good corporate strategy is essential. Every business has its own KPIs. For instance, in the auto industry, a performance indicator can be the manufacturing cycle times.

There are thousands of KPIs examples, but once you have established and operationalized your company’s goals it will be much easier to find what you are looking for. A good database of KPIs will contain only preselected examples of indicators that are relevant across functional areas or industries. You can choose one that has already been researched or, if you have a particular goal in mind, you can design your own key performance indicator. It all depends on the outcome you want to achieve in the business area you are developing your company.

You can start by browsing a free online catalogue with over 6400 KPI examples from SmartKPIs.com to get a better understanding of the proper use of this strategy tool. After you have decided upon the long term goals of your company or organization, you can design a KPI template to match the outcome you expect from your busoness.