CASE STUDY: Creating a metrics strategy that drives business value
How DWG helped a large power company identify intranet
KPIs and implement a framework for actionable metrics
THE BUSINESS CHALLENGE
Identifying meaningful metrics to help drive
the business value of your intranet
Like most in our industry, the client’s intranet team understand the importance of data. If collected and interpreted smartly, these data can cut through opinion and provide transparency, thus informing decision-making and helping to demonstrate the tangible impact of an intranet on the business. Unfortunately, also like many in our industry, they were facing the challenge of developing and implementing an approach and model that was meaningful to both them and their stakeholders, and that would align with organizational objectives – particularly following a recent merger.
A previous Key Performance Indicator (KPI) framework no longer reflected their needs, and the team had limited resources to dedicate to monitoring, analysing and reporting the multitude of data available to them.
Questions the client needed help with answering were:
- What was the current state of their metrics and KPI performance?
- How could they make the data work better for them?
- What was the strategy that should be driving a future approach?
- What were the specific metrics and KPIs they should be monitoring? And why? And how?
The client
A large government-run power company that generates power in several countries and collectively employs over 30,000 employees.
WHY DWG?
Data, neutrality, practitioner expertise & partnership
Having been a member of the DWG Member Forum the client knew us well, and vice versa. In particular, the team were familiar with our strong emphasis on data, as demonstrated by our objective benchmarking model, as well as our vendor-neutral approach and the practitioner background of our experts.
As part of its membership package, the client had chosen to also purchase a bundled package of consulting days, knowing that at some point the team would need to call on external – but familiar – help.
With a strong depth of research, knowledge and expertise in strategy and metrics, as well as an intimate knowledge of the client’s business and intranet, DWG was the natural choice to work with their team. We would be able to answer their questions and help guide them in the direction they should be taking.
Overview of DWG
The Digital Workplace Group (DWG) provides large organizations with independent expertise for success with intranets and broader digital workplaces.
Our Member Forum offers confidential peer learning and expert research. Our Benchmarking provides sophisticated evaluations, comparisons and recommendations. Our Consulting Services provide strategic guidance and hands-on implementation support.
OUR APPROACH
Research, insights and a framework
After agreeing the scope of our work with the client, we designed a methodology that combined good project management practice with a number of our services. With the client located globally, we were able to leverage our experience and culture of working virtually, saving on costs and also time.
Despite our deep knowledge of their organization, it was essential that we revisit the business through the lens of metrics, and what the objectives were that they were looking to measure and track. Interviews and research would allow us to build a framework underpinned by a strong strategy, while a roadmap would paint out a clear path for implementation.
| Service | What we did |
|---|---|
| Internal Discovery | Before we could establish where the client could go, we needed to understand where it currently was and its business priorities.To this end, our Lead Consultant undertook a range of fact-finding sessions, including:
|
| External Insight | Research into what others have achieved can go a long way in demonstrating “the art of the possible” and the value that others have achieved. Our Lead Researcher carried out case study-based research, looking into good metrics practice from other, similar companies. |
| Metrics Strategy, Framework and Roadmap | Based on the initial Discovery and Insight inputs, our Lead Consultant devised a comprehensive metrics approach for our client:
|
The DWG team
Project Manager: Elizabeth Marsh,
DWG’s Director of Research, managed the project, looking after timescales, communication, and providing guidance and input to the recommendations.
Lead Consultant: Chris Tubb, who is one of our benchmarkers, as well as author of our research reports on metrics, worked closely with the client to develop their metrics approach.
Lead Researcher: Stephen Bynghall, our Research and Knowledge Lead (as well as a consultant and benchmarker), identified clear case studies of how other organizations had formed and implemented a metrics approach.
THE RESULTS AND OUR IMPACT
Coaching in metrics with a clear path forward
A clear picture was built up of the strategic role that metrics could play for the client; what those metrics should be; and how the business could go about implementing the new approach. For example, we were able to demonstrate how and which metrics would help them measure the effectiveness of a new HR self-service approach, which aimed to cut down calls made to a helpline.
Metrics strategic roadmap
This roadmap summarizes how the proposed intranet metrics strategy could be implemented, based on seven key workstreams.
The impact included:
- Clear, business-focused guiding principles: Our team identified five clear themes that underpin the recommended metrics and KPIs framework. These were based on insights from key stakeholders and demonstrate key priorities for the business and the role the intranet should be playing.
- Comprehensive metrics to track desired business benefits: A highly structured metrics framework was developed, which provided both executive and management level measurements. Each metric was broken down by purpose, usage, the source of the metric, and whether it could also serve as a KPI. Expected benefits of using the metrics proposed were also included.
- Recommendation for an “Analysis Centre of Excellence”: To keep the metrics strategy and framework relevant and sustainable, we drew up plans for a Centre of Excellence that should be implemented.
- Coaching in metrics best practice: Through working closely with our Consultancy team, the client has received training on the components that make up a strong metrics approach.
- Tangible next steps: The project ended with very clear immediate steps for the client team to act on, including how to structure themselves, together with longer-term phases to be implemented.
RELATED RESEARCH:
Measuring Internal Communications
RELATED APPLICATIONS OF THIS SERVICE
Time and again, our benchmarking data demonstrate that metrics remains one of the weakest areas of an intranet and digital workplace team’s arsenal. As the Lead Consultant on this project, Chris Tubb, says: “Metrics are closer to strategy than anything else. The approach really needs to be embedded in your programme from the start.”
Our metrics expertise can be applied to a whole host of scenarios, including:
- The effectiveness of internal communications
- Adoption of collaboration platforms and tools
- Tracking progress towards an improved digital workplace
- Whether your intranet is supporting your business’s key priorities
ABOUT DWG CONSULTING SERVICES
DWG Consulting Services provides vendor-neutral, unbiased and high-quality advice, and practical hands-on support for digital workplace and intranet programmes. This work is rooted in our decade plus of providing measurement and research-driven membership services, and our team’s experience of working within large organizations.
Get in touch
Contact the DWG team to request:
- An exploratory call
- A price quote
- An RFP response
- A statement of work
