question Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics in Training and Certifications forum

Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

Adil Chaoui — Tue, 25 May 2021 08:13:37 GMT

To track and measure value, clear KPIs and measures should be in place. We want to ensure stakeholders can measure the progress of the project against ROI.

The key activities of defining and aligning on KPIs and Metrics are:

Identify the metrics that drive outcome in business activities or processes. Example: CSAT can be used.
Translate metrics into estimates of financial value.
Validate KPIs and metrics with stakeholders.

What have you found to work well for defining and aligning on business case and KPI Metrics?

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

Grisel Lopez — Thu, 01 Jul 2021 18:06:49 GMT

I have found that taking time to ensure stakeholders have the foundational knowledge about why a solution is being suggested (ServiceNow capabilities, Specific process knowledge etc..), aligning a business case and setting KPI Metrics task becomes easier and much more meaningful than trying to propose something without this type of context.

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

Gedi — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 09:34:37 GMT

One of the best ways to approach alignment is with "ITIL principle mindset" focused on the value and and starting where you are.

As project has not begun yet, one could use kick-off meeting to come up, refine or review project KPIs and align them with short-term (business case) and long-term (company goals) objectives. Working on the KPIs with all the key stakeholders is a great icebreaker when people have not worked from before. In addition after stakeholders spend their own time and energy on objectives & metrics, their project commitment & support is present throughout the whole delivery.

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

Patrick4 — Sun, 20 Feb 2022 19:33:42 GMT

Defining and aligning on the business case and defining KPI metrics is a great thing to do in managing projects. For a project to be delivered successfully all stakeholders involved must understand the reason for the project in the first place. The reason for the project must be valid throughout the project life and even beyond. Also, aligning KPI's will enhance a smooth process and keep stakeholders alert that the project is on track.

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

Dawn Khan — Sun, 02 Apr 2023 07:12:11 GMT

One of the key opportunities to add value is to conduct business process flow alignment. Too often I heard it said, its not always intuitive how to create the reports or key performance indicators they need. OR I don't want too much transparent reporting, until we understand the metrics we manage.

Starting with out of the box and then learning those and adhoc reports can help. Learning to structure reuseable Workspace Reports for Operations or Dashboard Reports for Service Management can help enable reporting, KPIs and metrics.

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

Shilpa Gaikwad1 — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 00:23:13 GMT

In my experience, most of projects well define and align on business case and KPI metrics in the initial project planning phase. However, do we need to track and measure value only at the beginning of the project?

In most of the cases, projects are planned well in advance, however in some cases, the implementation phase of the project might not even start within 6months. In today’s rapid growing market, it is very important to revisit these business cases to measure they still delivery value. Otherwise, at the end, we will be delivering a project with a very low ROI.

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

crystalmorgan — Sat, 25 Nov 2023 20:25:47 GMT

Qualitative feedback via IT Surveys can be used as inputs to align on business case. You can distill patterns/themes from qualitative feedback.

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

BradleyS0936879 — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 18:52:55 GMT

A well-constructed business case not only showcases the value of KPIs but also aligns with the overall strategy and goals of the organization.

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

SarathChandra — Wed, 15 May 2024 10:40:41 GMT

This is helpful Thank you

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

Femfem — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 21:41:08 GMT

For clarity of KPI tracking and to ensure that the customer is aware of the value of the project implementation:

Per milestone, create metrics that are visual, and data driven. Ensure these are outlined early enough in the project. Most of my projects use milestone invoicing, this approach comes in very handy.
Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate early with key stakeholders to align on objectives and expected outcomes.
Clear Objectives: Define specific, measurable goals tied to business priorities.
Data-Driven Baselines: Establish benchmarks using historical or industry data.
SMART KPIs: Create KPIs that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Frequent Reviews: Use iterative feedback loops to refine metrics and ensure alignment.
Visualization Tools: Leverage dashboards to track and communicate progress effectively.

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

Alero O — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 01:55:50 GMT

Adil, excellent points! To elevate KPI alignment, I focus on the strategic context: understanding how each metric, like CSAT, reflects deeper shifts in customer experience and drives long-term business sustainability. It's about connecting KPIs to overarching goals and the customer journey, not just immediate financial value. By prioritizing the 'critical few' metrics and their impact on strategic growth, we create a framework that provides actionable insights, not just measurements.

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

User290317 — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 21:33:07 GMT

The most effective approach I’ve found for defining and aligning KPIs is to directly link them to measurable business objectives and validate their financial impact with stakeholders early on to ensure real progress can be tracked against ROI.

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

dmjfolorunso — Wed, 07 May 2025 01:06:11 GMT

One of the key things I consider regarding KPIs is the relatability to the core process users and the business expectations. When every actor in the process can see how these metrics speak to each of them, it helps to ease adoption and achievement.

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

Justin W — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 11:30:32 GMT

Communication is vital. There should be clarity and documentation on the business case and also on the KPIs.

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

Tarak Akhil — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 01:20:23 GMT

It works better when we engage all the stakeholders early. Focus on a few critical metrics to avoid dilution. Translate the KPIs into business value and keep them visible throughout the process (using dashboards) so stakeholders can track ROI in real time

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

kaine — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 17:24:31 GMT

I have found that KPIs should directly measure the success of the business objective. And so it makes sense to use the SMART framework: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

Justin W — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 16:04:35 GMT

Although I don't have much experience with this given my role, I'd imagine having the key stakeholders in the room to discuss would be very important. You can get a lot of feedback/thoughts from lots of people but its important to make sure that they are the "right" people.

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

acruza — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 14:25:39 GMT

In an initial search within the community, I found some interesting reference material:

https://www.servicenow.com/community/platform-analytics-articles/out-of-the-box-key-performance-indicators/ta-p/2299451

https://www.servicenow.com/community/spm-articles/spm-kpis/ta-p/3150453

Additionally, I think this document is a good guide:

https://www.servicenow.com/content/dam/servicenow-assets/public/en-us/doc-type/success/playbook/performance-kpi-metrics-guide.pdf

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

acruza — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 14:32:09 GMT

Identify the customer’s business needs, current IT/operations pain points, budget, urgency. Articulate the business outcome: e.g., reducing operational cost, improving time to market, increasing agility. Clarify how to measure and track value / ROI for the solution.

Re: Define/align on KPIs and Metrics

eliasmariz — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 21:32:39 GMT

Sem as métricas e KPI's validados pelas partes interessadas, torna-se impossível medir o progresso de um projeto em relação ao ROI.
É de extrema importância a identificação das métricas que impulsionam o resultado nas atividades de negócio, bem como, a tradução de métricas em stimativas e validação de KPI's.