Business Analysis Toolkit

The key performance metrics i.e. KPIs can be described as factors that determine the effectiveness of a project, the efficiency of the task, activities and the methodologies and the maturity of processes. The effectiveness of a project determines the factors that would allow quantifying these factors for the purpose of analyses, research and improvisation. They include development in terms of cost, time and quality to the business entity along with the results obtained from it. These key performance metrics or indicators help aligning the strategies, targets and activities in line with the organizational goals. They also measure the relevance and efficiency of these selected processes against the type and scale of the project.

The maturity of these metrics on the other hand defines the level of consistency and control of the process. The key indicator for of process maturity is risk management. It not only defines the risks associated with the market and the financial conditions but also identifies the risks involved in the operational management level. While the financial risks can pose complicated mechanisms involving insignificant errors and overlooking to yield catastrophic implications, operational risks act as a loss resulting due to inefficient and poor internal processes, the methodologies formatted, the staff hired or adverse external influences. Only holistic and broad approaches can encompass all the details vital for successful risk management. Because of this Balanced Scorecards are becoming increasingly popular in the business entities as a support system that is reliable and smart and can be incorporated in to the existing MIS system.

The Balanced Scorecards provide objective approach to risk management and supervision. It identifies major areas as Legal Risk, External Factors, Human Error and designs optimal methodologies to gauge and measure them, facilitating the complex monitoring involved in the operational aspect of the organization. This also aids the process of benchmarking, where by which companies can compare their own performances with the best or the better in the industry for the purpose of self-improvement. However benchmarking is an extremely crucial process in which all operation, tasks and activities are rivaled by the better off firm of the industry. Improvisations are focused on in order to equate those practices as closely as possible.

It also allows cross-industry comparisons in the same fashion which can prove to be a very lengthy process because of the details involved. However, the steps to formulating strategy and the study and hardwork involved in it can never be compromised on. This comparison makes it possible for organizations to achieve and adopt the best solutions available and a progressive approach by embracing policies that are required as a mandatory for improvement in a particular project, department or venture. Balanced scorecards allow flow of real business information that can be processed to reap the benefits to the fullest by any organization.