Scorecards for Risk Management in Technical Processes
- Scorecards in Technical Processes
- Checklists
- Scorecards
- Task Scorecards
- Task Fulfillment vs. Gate Deliverable Requirement
- Gate Review Scorecards
- Summary
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
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Scorecards in Technical Processes
Whether we are working in the strategic, tactical, or operational technical environment, we need to take into account how we will measure a team or individual's progress against goals. Accountability within and across technical teams is essential for proper risk management within a system of phases and gates. As technical work is designed and performed, the issue of pay for performance must also be addressed. Thus, we have two distinct reasons to establish formal methods for measuring technical task performance:
- Manage risk and make key decisions at gate reviews and key project milestones
- Pay for performance in light of specific requirements and deliverables
We all expect to be paid fairly for the value we add to the business from our work. We all want the technologies and products we are working on to be successful, and we want our compensation to be aligned with that success. But how do we pay fairly for projects that are unsuccessful for good reasons? The reasons become "good" and are justified based upon the data from our use of tool/task clusters. Without a balanced system of scorecards, it is not possible to tell whether we are truly compensating in a fair and balanced way, even when we cancel projects. The questions "Am I personally doing okay?" and "Are we, as a team, doing okay?" and "Are we all on target for meeting our gate requirements by way of our deliverables?" must be asked frequently enough to ensure that we can make adjustments when the data suggests that we are off-track relative to clear requirements. A system of scorecards can help.
Scorecards exist all around us, but what do they mean to technical professionals?