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Measures of Success: React Less, Lead Better, Improve More
Are you tired of constantly reacting to every little change in your organization's metrics? Are you overwhelmed by the sheer amount of data you have to sift through, wondering which metrics are truly meaningful and which are just noise? If so, "Measures of React Less, Lead Better, Improve More" is the book for you.Written by Mark Graban, a renowned expert in the field of process improvement, this book offers a practical guide to managing your organization's metrics in a more effective and sustainable way. With vivid stories and clear examples drawn from a variety of industries, including healthcare and software, Graban shows you how to identify meaningful signals in your metrics and respond to them systematically."Measures of Success" is not about gaming the system or fudging the numbers. It's about delivering real value, understood by everyone, and proven with data. With this book, you'll learn how to chart and manage your metrics in any organization or setting, so you can know what's working, what's not, and what to change. And why.But this book is not just for executives and leaders. It's for anyone who wants to improve their organization's performance, whether you're a frontline worker, a manager, or an analyst. "Measures of Success" teaches you how to convert data, metrics, and charts into knowledge and wisdom, so you can make decisions based on facts instead of opinions, hunches, or feelings.
Key takeaways from Measures of Success.Don’t manage the metric. Do manage the work. Metrics are the result of your work. Improving work improves results.Two data points are not a trend. Three? Four? Not usually. A dozen or more? You betcha.Data only has meaning when compared over time. Context tells the story.A chart tells a better story than a list of numbers. Every. Time.More than what happened, be able to predict what’s likely to happen.Fluctuations occur for every metric. Process behavior charts show what to respond to, and what to ignore.Save your breath and time explaining the noise of a metric, since there’s no ‘root cause’.Measure often. Weekly over monthly. Daily, even better. Respond thoughtfully, versus react mindlessly.So if you're ready to jump off the metrics rollercoaster and start responding to signals instead of reacting to noise, "Measures of Success" is the book you need. You'll learn a better way to manage your measures, and you'll be able to answer three critical questions for your
Are we achieving our target? And, how often? Occasionally? Consistently?Are we improving? And, can we predict our future performance?How do we improve? And, when do we react? When do we ignore? When do we improve?With the help of "Measures of Success," you can stop reacting to noise and start responding to signals. You can improve your organization's performance in significant and sustainable ways, and you can prove that you're doing it. So why wait? Get your copy of "Measures of React Less, Lead Better, Improve More" today!
Key takeaways from Measures of Success.Don’t manage the metric. Do manage the work. Metrics are the result of your work. Improving work improves results.Two data points are not a trend. Three? Four? Not usually. A dozen or more? You betcha.Data only has meaning when compared over time. Context tells the story.A chart tells a better story than a list of numbers. Every. Time.More than what happened, be able to predict what’s likely to happen.Fluctuations occur for every metric. Process behavior charts show what to respond to, and what to ignore.Save your breath and time explaining the noise of a metric, since there’s no ‘root cause’.Measure often. Weekly over monthly. Daily, even better. Respond thoughtfully, versus react mindlessly.So if you're ready to jump off the metrics rollercoaster and start responding to signals instead of reacting to noise, "Measures of Success" is the book you need. You'll learn a better way to manage your measures, and you'll be able to answer three critical questions for your
Are we achieving our target? And, how often? Occasionally? Consistently?Are we improving? And, can we predict our future performance?How do we improve? And, when do we react? When do we ignore? When do we improve?With the help of "Measures of Success," you can stop reacting to noise and start responding to signals. You can improve your organization's performance in significant and sustainable ways, and you can prove that you're doing it. So why wait? Get your copy of "Measures of React Less, Lead Better, Improve More" today!
260 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 4, 2018
179 people are currently reading
303 people want to read
About the author
Mark Graban
26 books37 followersMark Graban is a consultant, author, keynote speaker, and blogger in the world of “Lean Healthcare.” In June 2011, Mark joined the software company KaiNexus as their “Chief Improvement Officer,” to help further their mission of “making improvement easier” in healthcare organizations, while continuing his other consulting and speaking activities.
He is the author of the book Lean Hospitals: Improving Quality, Patient Safety, and Employee Engagement (Productivity Press), which was selected for a 2009 Shingo Research and Professional Publication Award and is being translated into seven languages. A 2nd revised edition was released in November, 2011. Mark has also co-authored a new book, titled “Healthcare Kaizen: Engaging Front-Line Staff in Sustainable Continuous Improvements,” released in June 2012. He is the founder and lead blogger and podcaster at LeanBlog.org, started in January 2005.
Mark earned a BS in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University as well as an MS in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from the MIT Sloan Leaders for Global Operations Program (previously known as Leaders for Manufacturing). Mark has worked in automotive (General Motors), the PC industry (Dell), and industrial products (Honeywell). At Honeywell, Mark was certified as a “Lean Expert” (Lean Black Belt).
Since August 2005, Mark has worked exclusively in healthcare, where he has coached lean teams at client sites in North America and the United Kingdom, including medical laboratories, hospitals, and primary care clinics. From 2005 to 2009, Mark was a senior consultant with ValuMetrix Services, a division of Johnson & Johnson and he currently consults independently and in conjunction with the firm Lean Pathways.
Mark’s motivation is to apply Lean and Toyota Production System principles to improve quality of care and patient safety, to improve the customer/patient experience, to help the development of medical professionals and employees, and to help build strong organizations for the long term.
From June 2009 to June 2011, Mark was a Senior Fellow with the Lean Enterprise Institute, a not-for-profit educational organization that is a leading voice in the Lean world. Mark served as the LEI’s “Chief Engineer” for healthcare activities, including workshops, web & social media, and other publications. Mark also served as the Director of Communication & Technology for the Healthcare Value Network, a collaboration of healthcare organizations from across North America, a partnership between LEI and the ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value. Mark continues as an LEI faculty member.
Mark is a popular speaker at conferences and private healthcare meetings. He has guest lectured at schools including MIT and Wharton and has served as a faculty member for the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. He has been quoted and interviewed in many publications, including Health Affairs and the New York Times.
Mark and his wife live in San Antonio, Texas.
See: http://www.markgraban.com/about-mark-...
He is the author of the book Lean Hospitals: Improving Quality, Patient Safety, and Employee Engagement (Productivity Press), which was selected for a 2009 Shingo Research and Professional Publication Award and is being translated into seven languages. A 2nd revised edition was released in November, 2011. Mark has also co-authored a new book, titled “Healthcare Kaizen: Engaging Front-Line Staff in Sustainable Continuous Improvements,” released in June 2012. He is the founder and lead blogger and podcaster at LeanBlog.org, started in January 2005.
Mark earned a BS in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University as well as an MS in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from the MIT Sloan Leaders for Global Operations Program (previously known as Leaders for Manufacturing). Mark has worked in automotive (General Motors), the PC industry (Dell), and industrial products (Honeywell). At Honeywell, Mark was certified as a “Lean Expert” (Lean Black Belt).
Since August 2005, Mark has worked exclusively in healthcare, where he has coached lean teams at client sites in North America and the United Kingdom, including medical laboratories, hospitals, and primary care clinics. From 2005 to 2009, Mark was a senior consultant with ValuMetrix Services, a division of Johnson & Johnson and he currently consults independently and in conjunction with the firm Lean Pathways.
Mark’s motivation is to apply Lean and Toyota Production System principles to improve quality of care and patient safety, to improve the customer/patient experience, to help the development of medical professionals and employees, and to help build strong organizations for the long term.
From June 2009 to June 2011, Mark was a Senior Fellow with the Lean Enterprise Institute, a not-for-profit educational organization that is a leading voice in the Lean world. Mark served as the LEI’s “Chief Engineer” for healthcare activities, including workshops, web & social media, and other publications. Mark also served as the Director of Communication & Technology for the Healthcare Value Network, a collaboration of healthcare organizations from across North America, a partnership between LEI and the ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value. Mark continues as an LEI faculty member.
Mark is a popular speaker at conferences and private healthcare meetings. He has guest lectured at schools including MIT and Wharton and has served as a faculty member for the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. He has been quoted and interviewed in many publications, including Health Affairs and the New York Times.
Mark and his wife live in San Antonio, Texas.
See: http://www.markgraban.com/about-mark-...
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 14, 2018
Based on W. Edwards Deming’s work, among others, the author introduces “Process Behavior Charts,” which separates the “signal” from the “noise” in our metrics, and their main focus is improvement. He provides a free Excel file or Google Sheet to create your own. He lays out 10 Key points:
1. We don’t manage the metric; we manage the system that leads to the results and we lead the people who help us improve the system
2. Two data points are not a trend
3. No data have meaning apart from their context
4. A chart will always tell us more than a list of numbers
5. The job of management is not just to look backward, but also to look forward and predict, if possible, what is likely to occur
6. There is variation in every metric or data set. PBCs filter out noise so we can identify signals
7. Don’t waste time explaining noise in a metric. There is no simple, single “root cause” for noise.
8. More timely data is better for improvement. Daily is better than weekly, which is better than monthly, as long as we don’t overreact to every data point
9. If there was an intervention in the system, make it clear in your chart or your discussion of the chart when that change was started or implemented
10. When showing the “before” scenario, show enough data points to illustrate the previous level of variation, not just a single data point
The author makes many good points on the limitations of metrics and data, such as how often we are pressured to make metrics look good instead of improving the system and its underlying performance; that organizations measure too many things (the “K” in KPI stands for “Ka-jillion”); that we use “vanity metrics” and “success theater” that give the rosiest possible picture. The difference between “action metrics” and “overreaction metrics;” a bad system will defeat good people every time.
On the canard “what gets measured, gets managed he responds, measuring is easy; managing is hard. I would add: how do you measure management?
I love this point: “Too many people believe that empowerment means setting aggressive targets and then leaving people alone to figure out how to meet them…[rather] than working together to improve our systems and processes will lead to better results.
I also loved the metaphor of a “Bowling Chart” to describe the columns of small numbers that are usually used to report resorts over months (current vs. prior year’s, etc.). And Hanlon’s Razor: “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”
If PBCs are so good, and have been around for decades, why haven’t they been widely adopted? It’s a great question, and the author tries to deal with it. I ask the same thing with hourly billing vs. value pricing and timesheets and superior processes, such as project management, After Action Reviews, etc. As he writes: “It’s better to have the thinking without the tools than it is to have the tools without the right thinking.” But that’s a difficult message to get across to folks who are busy and say all they want is “how to” do it.
The weaknesses of the book is there is no definition of metric vs. measurement. He writes that time is a precious commodity, but it’s a really a constraint. There’s no discussion of systems thinking, or After Action Reviews, though he does provide real case studies on the moral hazards of measurement. If your job entails reporting a lot of data, I do think PBCs make enormous sense. But that’s truly the easy part. Good luck on working and improving the system, and not using metrics as a bludgeon to berate people for not hitting their targets. Sometimes I wish there was a law that a business could only measure one thing internally. Unrealistic I know, but it would clarify a lot of thinking and eliminate a lot of BS metrics.
1. We don’t manage the metric; we manage the system that leads to the results and we lead the people who help us improve the system
2. Two data points are not a trend
3. No data have meaning apart from their context
4. A chart will always tell us more than a list of numbers
5. The job of management is not just to look backward, but also to look forward and predict, if possible, what is likely to occur
6. There is variation in every metric or data set. PBCs filter out noise so we can identify signals
7. Don’t waste time explaining noise in a metric. There is no simple, single “root cause” for noise.
8. More timely data is better for improvement. Daily is better than weekly, which is better than monthly, as long as we don’t overreact to every data point
9. If there was an intervention in the system, make it clear in your chart or your discussion of the chart when that change was started or implemented
10. When showing the “before” scenario, show enough data points to illustrate the previous level of variation, not just a single data point
The author makes many good points on the limitations of metrics and data, such as how often we are pressured to make metrics look good instead of improving the system and its underlying performance; that organizations measure too many things (the “K” in KPI stands for “Ka-jillion”); that we use “vanity metrics” and “success theater” that give the rosiest possible picture. The difference between “action metrics” and “overreaction metrics;” a bad system will defeat good people every time.
On the canard “what gets measured, gets managed he responds, measuring is easy; managing is hard. I would add: how do you measure management?
I love this point: “Too many people believe that empowerment means setting aggressive targets and then leaving people alone to figure out how to meet them…[rather] than working together to improve our systems and processes will lead to better results.
I also loved the metaphor of a “Bowling Chart” to describe the columns of small numbers that are usually used to report resorts over months (current vs. prior year’s, etc.). And Hanlon’s Razor: “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”
If PBCs are so good, and have been around for decades, why haven’t they been widely adopted? It’s a great question, and the author tries to deal with it. I ask the same thing with hourly billing vs. value pricing and timesheets and superior processes, such as project management, After Action Reviews, etc. As he writes: “It’s better to have the thinking without the tools than it is to have the tools without the right thinking.” But that’s a difficult message to get across to folks who are busy and say all they want is “how to” do it.
The weaknesses of the book is there is no definition of metric vs. measurement. He writes that time is a precious commodity, but it’s a really a constraint. There’s no discussion of systems thinking, or After Action Reviews, though he does provide real case studies on the moral hazards of measurement. If your job entails reporting a lot of data, I do think PBCs make enormous sense. But that’s truly the easy part. Good luck on working and improving the system, and not using metrics as a bludgeon to berate people for not hitting their targets. Sometimes I wish there was a law that a business could only measure one thing internally. Unrealistic I know, but it would clarify a lot of thinking and eliminate a lot of BS metrics.
September 1, 2019
I recently downloaded Measures of Success for a transatlantic flight. As a follower of the author’s blog, tweets and podcasts I was eager to read this book; however, as someone who has dedicated his life to manufacturing, I was skeptical that this would be heavily biased toward healthcare. Fortunately, the author does a very good job of balancing how these measurements can be used in any environment and he uses examples and case studies from multiple environments.
I came to the wisdom of Dr. Deming and Dr. Wheeler over the last few years which is about fifteen years into my lean journey. Dr. Deming does a great job of introducing why we need to change our thinking through his Theory of Profound Knowledge. Dr. Wheeler takes this thinking a further step forward by demonstrating how Process Behavior Charts can help an organization turn chaos into manageable data. Finally, Mr. Graban gets into the weeds of how to use PBC to manage your business.
I have unsuccessfully tried to implement PBC in my organization over the last couple of years. This book provides some ideas about how to do this successfully in the future. I am a lean think in an organization that chooses to embrace a six sigma mindset. As a black belt I have a tendency to want to call Process Behavior Charts, “Control Charts”. Even though it is semantics, individuals in my organization feel that control charts should be limited to things such as “size of defect”. They don’t see PBC as a way of measuring daily performance and filtering noise vs. trends. I really like the idea of calling these Voice of Process Charts.
I would recommend Measures of Success as the 3rd book in a trilogy of Process Behaviors. The New Economics, Managing Chaos and Measures of Success should be read by anyone who is trying to drive better understanding of metrics in their organization. My plan is to reread the trilogy annually.
I came to the wisdom of Dr. Deming and Dr. Wheeler over the last few years which is about fifteen years into my lean journey. Dr. Deming does a great job of introducing why we need to change our thinking through his Theory of Profound Knowledge. Dr. Wheeler takes this thinking a further step forward by demonstrating how Process Behavior Charts can help an organization turn chaos into manageable data. Finally, Mr. Graban gets into the weeds of how to use PBC to manage your business.
I have unsuccessfully tried to implement PBC in my organization over the last couple of years. This book provides some ideas about how to do this successfully in the future. I am a lean think in an organization that chooses to embrace a six sigma mindset. As a black belt I have a tendency to want to call Process Behavior Charts, “Control Charts”. Even though it is semantics, individuals in my organization feel that control charts should be limited to things such as “size of defect”. They don’t see PBC as a way of measuring daily performance and filtering noise vs. trends. I really like the idea of calling these Voice of Process Charts.
I would recommend Measures of Success as the 3rd book in a trilogy of Process Behaviors. The New Economics, Managing Chaos and Measures of Success should be read by anyone who is trying to drive better understanding of metrics in their organization. My plan is to reread the trilogy annually.
October 19, 2018
The missing link in the adoption of scientific management
Mark has distilled the issue of variation in business systems into simple language, making it usable for anyone with basic excel skills. Avoiding the over complicated hyperbole of some works on this subject, he lays out an easy way to measure and manage business systems that concentrates precious improvement resources on the results that matter, not the noise in the system. It’s so simple in fact, that one of its main flaws is having staff and management accept its validity, but valid it is, and anyone in a work environment with continually varying results would do well to spend the time learning and applying these methods.
For anyone versed in the art, the biggest discomfort is the use of the constants to calculate the upper and lower limits. The calculation methodology is outside of the scope of the book, which is explained, and clear references are given to the reader who wishes to delve deeper.
All in all an excellent book. One I know I’m going to be using a lot. Thanks Mark!
Mark has distilled the issue of variation in business systems into simple language, making it usable for anyone with basic excel skills. Avoiding the over complicated hyperbole of some works on this subject, he lays out an easy way to measure and manage business systems that concentrates precious improvement resources on the results that matter, not the noise in the system. It’s so simple in fact, that one of its main flaws is having staff and management accept its validity, but valid it is, and anyone in a work environment with continually varying results would do well to spend the time learning and applying these methods.
For anyone versed in the art, the biggest discomfort is the use of the constants to calculate the upper and lower limits. The calculation methodology is outside of the scope of the book, which is explained, and clear references are given to the reader who wishes to delve deeper.
All in all an excellent book. One I know I’m going to be using a lot. Thanks Mark!
April 23, 2019
When reading business books, the reader, hopefully, takes away some great new ideas. Or has a realization that they should double down on something they are already doing. Occasionally, one comes across a book that actually reframes what you do and how you do it.
Mark Graban’s last book, Lean Hospitals which I reviewed here, had that effect on me; it made me realize that as a manager, my strength is to focus on processes and work with my team to make processes work better. Now with his latest book, Measures of Success, Mark has done the same again; this time with how we look at data and measure results.
The main argument in Measures of Success is that as managers we often are given, and collect, huge amounts of data that but that we either overact to “noise” or miss the signals that the data is giving to us because we are looking at that data in the wrong way. What Measures of Success gives us is a tool, in the form of an X-Chart and an MR chart, which allows us to view the data in a process and see the signals that the data is giving to us. Armed with these “signals” managers can then try to find out what has happened to the process to cause the signal in the first place. Because we are not chasing our tails looking for signals that’s are just noise and therefore not indicative of anything we should have the time to react appropriately when we see a valid signal.
Mr. Graban not only explains how X-Charts and MR Charts work, and how they work together, he also gives the reader exact instructions on how to create them and also why they are superior to other charts and methods of looking at data. He is particularly dismissive of targets and trend lines and provides damming evidence for both. The whole section, in fact reminds me of the Economist Roland Coase’s famous quote; “If you torture data long enough it will confess to anything.”
His case is compelling.
There is a point early on in Measures of Success where I was having issues understanding exactly how MR Charts (which measure rate of change) related to X-Charts (which measure actual data). Thankfully, a very helpful appendix takes the reader step by step through creating both, including excel formulas and providing links to where templates can be downloaded. The take away here is: if you get stuck read the appendix.
“Measuring is Easy, Managing is Hard.”
Measures of success, at its heart, is a plea to manage from what the data actually says, not what a manager or senior executive thinks it says. It makes the case that; “We don’t manage the metric, we manage the system that leads to the results, and we lead the people who help us improve the system.” If we set a target, what does that mean, other than just being a vanity metric pulled out of thin air? If we are wanting different results that what we already have the focus should not be on the target but on changing the system that gives us those results.
Mr. Graban’s Measures of Success is actually quite a short book, but is filled with color illustrations, and examples with which to make his case. There is even a section on how to implement X-Charts and MR-Charts at your business.
For anyone who considers process important to their work, and those who look at data, Measures of Success is a must. This is a book that promotes a structural change in how managers react and adapt processes. Most business books talk about how we manage change, few focus on why we are changing in the first place or whether there is an actual need to change.
Simply put, this book will change how and why you manage.
Mark Graban’s last book, Lean Hospitals which I reviewed here, had that effect on me; it made me realize that as a manager, my strength is to focus on processes and work with my team to make processes work better. Now with his latest book, Measures of Success, Mark has done the same again; this time with how we look at data and measure results.
The main argument in Measures of Success is that as managers we often are given, and collect, huge amounts of data that but that we either overact to “noise” or miss the signals that the data is giving to us because we are looking at that data in the wrong way. What Measures of Success gives us is a tool, in the form of an X-Chart and an MR chart, which allows us to view the data in a process and see the signals that the data is giving to us. Armed with these “signals” managers can then try to find out what has happened to the process to cause the signal in the first place. Because we are not chasing our tails looking for signals that’s are just noise and therefore not indicative of anything we should have the time to react appropriately when we see a valid signal.
Mr. Graban not only explains how X-Charts and MR Charts work, and how they work together, he also gives the reader exact instructions on how to create them and also why they are superior to other charts and methods of looking at data. He is particularly dismissive of targets and trend lines and provides damming evidence for both. The whole section, in fact reminds me of the Economist Roland Coase’s famous quote; “If you torture data long enough it will confess to anything.”
His case is compelling.
There is a point early on in Measures of Success where I was having issues understanding exactly how MR Charts (which measure rate of change) related to X-Charts (which measure actual data). Thankfully, a very helpful appendix takes the reader step by step through creating both, including excel formulas and providing links to where templates can be downloaded. The take away here is: if you get stuck read the appendix.
“Measuring is Easy, Managing is Hard.”
Measures of success, at its heart, is a plea to manage from what the data actually says, not what a manager or senior executive thinks it says. It makes the case that; “We don’t manage the metric, we manage the system that leads to the results, and we lead the people who help us improve the system.” If we set a target, what does that mean, other than just being a vanity metric pulled out of thin air? If we are wanting different results that what we already have the focus should not be on the target but on changing the system that gives us those results.
Mr. Graban’s Measures of Success is actually quite a short book, but is filled with color illustrations, and examples with which to make his case. There is even a section on how to implement X-Charts and MR-Charts at your business.
For anyone who considers process important to their work, and those who look at data, Measures of Success is a must. This is a book that promotes a structural change in how managers react and adapt processes. Most business books talk about how we manage change, few focus on why we are changing in the first place or whether there is an actual need to change.
Simply put, this book will change how and why you manage.
November 29, 2021
Very Practical
I went back and applied the methodology to historical data from one of my prior jobs. When analyzing the data with this method , I quickly realized how effective it would’ve been to share the data by looking at our processes in this manner. It makes it very clear how to identify where performance standards and improvement targets were being met, or even improved upon, and where we need to focus on changing the process.
There was strong evidence that the people at higher levels in the organization were simply looking at short term data points and evaluating improvement in terms of one point to the next. Had I presented the data using this method, I believe it would’ve been very impactful and demonstrating where we were improving the process, and that our performance was well above the “arbitrary” standards they were setting for us. I wish I had been exposed to this methodology earlier in my career.
I went back and applied the methodology to historical data from one of my prior jobs. When analyzing the data with this method , I quickly realized how effective it would’ve been to share the data by looking at our processes in this manner. It makes it very clear how to identify where performance standards and improvement targets were being met, or even improved upon, and where we need to focus on changing the process.
There was strong evidence that the people at higher levels in the organization were simply looking at short term data points and evaluating improvement in terms of one point to the next. Had I presented the data using this method, I believe it would’ve been very impactful and demonstrating where we were improving the process, and that our performance was well above the “arbitrary” standards they were setting for us. I wish I had been exposed to this methodology earlier in my career.
April 1, 2021
Busy collecting, and reacting, to metrics yet nothing seems to improve?
Is management setting targets that rarely seem to be met?
Like the idea of continually improving but not sure what it would look like?
If yes then read this book. By the way if you said no what are you reading reviews about this book?
An easy to read, and understand, guide to the use of Process Behaviour Charts. Covers why PBCs are useful, how to use them, and how NOT to use them. Provides a lot of real world examples across a wide range of use cases from personal (weight loss) to industry and hospitals.
So why only 4*s? Personally I would have preferred more on the maths behind this approach and the rules. That said the author provides notes regarding where you can find that. Also this book is written as an easy to read introduction and going deep into the maths would make it harder to read.
Is management setting targets that rarely seem to be met?
Like the idea of continually improving but not sure what it would look like?
If yes then read this book. By the way if you said no what are you reading reviews about this book?
An easy to read, and understand, guide to the use of Process Behaviour Charts. Covers why PBCs are useful, how to use them, and how NOT to use them. Provides a lot of real world examples across a wide range of use cases from personal (weight loss) to industry and hospitals.
So why only 4*s? Personally I would have preferred more on the maths behind this approach and the rules. That said the author provides notes regarding where you can find that. Also this book is written as an easy to read introduction and going deep into the maths would make it harder to read.
April 18, 2021
Excellent, could even call it, handbook!
Easy to understand, step by step explanations for newbies to PBC - not analysts (also them), but anyone interested in meaningful their own or teams’ measurement. Proposed approach is a bit simplified compared to lean six sigma, but, to my view, it is more than enough to organizations and people getting familiar with PBC.
I loved author demonstrating that it is not a fancy software, that is helping, but rather simple application of the knowledge. There is a saying “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics” - understanding what data shows and when it is necessary to react in order to fix the system or to catch an opportunity (separating “noise” from “signal”), is critical in the world of data.
Easy to understand, step by step explanations for newbies to PBC - not analysts (also them), but anyone interested in meaningful their own or teams’ measurement. Proposed approach is a bit simplified compared to lean six sigma, but, to my view, it is more than enough to organizations and people getting familiar with PBC.
I loved author demonstrating that it is not a fancy software, that is helping, but rather simple application of the knowledge. There is a saying “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics” - understanding what data shows and when it is necessary to react in order to fix the system or to catch an opportunity (separating “noise” from “signal”), is critical in the world of data.
December 30, 2023
If you’re familiar with Donald Wheeler’s stuff, this book doesn’t really give you anything new. That said, I found the final chapter (on teaching PBCs/changing an organisation to become more data driven) to be extremely valuable. Graban’s explanation of constructing and using PBCs (in the Appendix) is also easier to understand compared to Wheeler since Graban is more applied — but Wheeler’s statistical background results in explanations that are more rigorous — especially if you come from a technical field. The difference between the two approaches shows.
May 22, 2019
This book explains Process Behavior Charts in plain language, with many useful examples. Mark Graban successfully simplifies a topic that can be intimidating and confusing, and shows how to apply this powerful approach in plain language. He also stays true to the fundamentals of lean management throughout, encouraging readers to seek to understand the voice of the process. I highly recommend this book!
April 11, 2022
Eye opening explanation of managing data
I always thought of myself as "not a data person" for a reason that Graban addresses: difficulty interpreting data. How do I know when data points are varying randomly, and when they signify something important? Graban deftly explains how to find the signal in the noise in an easily understood manner. I even created my own PBC chart. Highly recommend.
I always thought of myself as "not a data person" for a reason that Graban addresses: difficulty interpreting data. How do I know when data points are varying randomly, and when they signify something important? Graban deftly explains how to find the signal in the noise in an easily understood manner. I even created my own PBC chart. Highly recommend.
June 29, 2020
Great dive into a better way to understand our metrics.
This book is a clear guide for understanding data. Too often we overreact to the data presented to us, rather than patiently listening to the data over time tells us. Thanks for the reminder and the framework of the PBC.
This book is a clear guide for understanding data. Too often we overreact to the data presented to us, rather than patiently listening to the data over time tells us. Thanks for the reminder and the framework of the PBC.
July 9, 2021
Straight forward and accessible for non statisticians to understand the value of looking at data in a meaningful way specific to understanding normal variation in a process vs a signal that something has changed. Great examples to demonstrate the concepts and use of data and charts. If process improvement is important to your work, read this.
May 21, 2022
This could have been much shorter. The contents I do think are worthy of anyone driving change in a business- but it was repetitive and at times unnecessary.
Save time by only reading chapters 1,3,4 and 9. Also read all appendices.
Save time by only reading chapters 1,3,4 and 9. Also read all appendices.
August 15, 2018
Good followup to Understanding Variation
Piggy backs on Dr. Wheelers works. I enjoyed the case studies and learned about the red head game from this book.
Piggy backs on Dr. Wheelers works. I enjoyed the case studies and learned about the red head game from this book.
May 19, 2020
Simple, practical guide to using data to manage processes. Case studies and how-tos help reinforce understanding. I took a lot of good tips to rethinking my approach when using data in my daily work.
May 23, 2020
Bueno!
Me gusto la idea y te cambia la manera de pensar en medir cumplimiento de metas a mejoramiento continuo. Un poco repetitivo.
Me gusto la idea y te cambia la manera de pensar en medir cumplimiento de metas a mejoramiento continuo. Un poco repetitivo.
July 15, 2023
Excellently communicated and compelling, approachable statistical approach. PBCs for the win!
July 14, 2024
I expected more that one method of analysis.
January 8, 2019
Practical guide to #plotthedots
I’ve always been frustrated by numbers presented as “good” and “bad” in business and in the press. Mark Graban does a nice job of articulating a different way of thinking about and showing those numbers - they represent the underlying behavior of a system. And using this guidance, one can see how a given system is behaving.
And my blog with more: https://www.jackvinson.com/blog/2019/...
I’ve always been frustrated by numbers presented as “good” and “bad” in business and in the press. Mark Graban does a nice job of articulating a different way of thinking about and showing those numbers - they represent the underlying behavior of a system. And using this guidance, one can see how a given system is behaving.
And my blog with more: https://www.jackvinson.com/blog/2019/...
May 24, 2020
Process Behavior Charts are the prescription to treat wasteful management systems. Busy managers and supervisors universally lament the time wasted in meetings explaining numbers snd results that don’t require explanation. Measures of Success makes control charts accessible to the masses by simplifying the rules (reduces the Western Electric rules and Nelson’s rules to 3 simple rules) and simplifying the chart (no need for xbar, p, c, np, or u charts). I’ve been able to apply the techniques of thus book with immediate results. Thanks!
April 3, 2019
Easy read. Straight to the point.
Easy read with straight forward instructions and explanations. Highly recommended for management. Presents a very simple statistical approach to improving performance.
Easy read with straight forward instructions and explanations. Highly recommended for management. Presents a very simple statistical approach to improving performance.
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