Begin with the work.
Keep room for context.
Use this sequence to structure a conversation about a measure. Adapt the questions to the work and the responsibilities of your organization.
Name the learning question.
Start with the work rather than the available data. Write a question in everyday language: what is unclear, why does it matter, and who needs to understand it?
- Describe the outcome or activity being discussed.
- Explain which decision could be informed by a better understanding.
- Identify the people who can supply context about the work.
- State what the discussion is not trying to determine.
“How do interruptions affect our review process?” is a learning question. “Show the count” describes an observation without explaining its purpose.
Define the proposed signal.
A useful definition should make sense to someone who did not join the original discussion. Explain what is observed, where the information comes from, and which events or cases are included.
- Scope: the work, setting, and period under discussion.
- Observation: what the signal actually records.
- Exclusions: what it leaves out and why.
- Limitations: gaps, ambiguity, and possible inconsistencies in interpretation.
Do not let the convenience of an existing field decide the question by default. A field can be easy to count and still have an unclear relationship to the work.
Keep possible explanations separate.
When a signal changes, write the observation before writing the explanation. Then ask which other conditions changed and which examples would help make sense of the pattern.
Illustrative distinction: “More items were handed between roles” describes an observation. “The team is collaborating poorly” is an interpretation that needs context and support.
Consider task mix, dependencies, work entering from elsewhere, tools, and role changes. Invite the people doing the work to describe what the signal does and does not capture.
Discuss what attention could change.
A measure can shape attention even before it becomes a target. Ask what useful work is difficult to represent, what could become overemphasized, and how a reasonable person might adapt to the measure.
- Could an activity count be mistaken for an outcome?
- Are different kinds of work being treated as interchangeable?
- Would a comparison obscure different responsibilities or constraints?
- Which qualitative observations should accompany the signal?
These questions are prompts for discussion, not a finding about a particular team or person.
Agree how the discussion will continue.
Record what the team learned, what remains uncertain, and which next action is appropriate. Keep a possible change distinct from a conclusion that has already been supported.
Give the measure a reason to be revisited. If the purpose disappears or the work changes, the signal may need a new definition or may no longer be useful.
A concise discussion note can contain the learning question, signal definition, contextual explanation, open questions, and agreed follow-up. No information needs to be entered on this website.
Return to the illustrative handoff discussion →