& Measuring Performance
“ON THE AVERAGE”
ADVISORY
By Dr. Kenneth Smith, PMP
Honolulu, Hawaii
& Manila, The Philippines
Various types of averages – arithmetic mean, median, and mode – are widely used as indicators to establish targets and subsequently measure performance. However, I have long been perplexed that despite whatever accomplishment is reported, the fact is obscured that at least half of the items tabulated and measured in the population database are/were below the average! The issue is even more distorted when the distribution is not ‘normal’ and a few individual items are excessively large outliers, compared to the general run of the remainder of the population.
For example, where the target is 20 ‘somethings,’ and the results from a sample of 30 are
Arrayed from Low to High as follows:
0, 5, 6, 11, 12, 15, 17, 17, 18, 18, 18, 18, 18, 19, 19, 19, 19, 20, 20, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30, 33, 60, 65
Tabulated below as:
0
5
6
11
12
15
17, 17
18, 18, 18, 18, 18, 18 [Mode]
19, 19, [Median] 19, 19
20, 20¸ 20
21
22
23
25
26
28
30
33
60
65
The Total is 642, and Arithmetic Mean ‘Average’ 642/30 = 21
PROCLAIMING SUCCESS!
While the lesser utilized Median is 19, and the Mode is even less at 18.
BOTH of which INDICATE A SHORTFALL!
More…
To read entire article, click here
How to cite this article: Smith, K.F. (2023). A Better Indicator for Targeting & Measuring Performance “ON THE AVERAGE”, PM World Journal, Vol. XII, Issue VIII, August. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/pmwj132-Aug2023-Smith-on-the-average-a-better-indicator.pdf
About the Author
Dr. Kenneth Smith
Honolulu, Hawaii
& Manila, The Philippines
Initially a US Civil Service Management Intern, then a management analyst & systems specialist with the US Defense Department, Ken subsequently had a career as a senior foreign service officer — management & evaluation specialist, project manager, and in-house facilitator/trainer — with the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Ken assisted host country governments in many countries to plan, monitor and evaluate projects in various technical sectors; working ‘hands-on’ with their officers as well as other USAID personnel, contractors and NGOs. Intermittently, he was also a team leader &/or team member to conduct project, program & and country-level portfolio analyses and evaluations.
Concurrently, Ken had an active dual career as Air Force ready-reservist in Asia (Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines) as well as the Washington D.C. area; was Chairman of a Congressional Services Academy Advisory Board (SAAB); and had additional duties as an Air Force Academy Liaison Officer. He retired as a ‘bird’ colonel.
After retirement from USAID, Ken was a project management consultant for ADB, the World Bank, UNDP and USAID.
He earned his DPA (Doctor of Public Administration) from the George Mason University (GMU) in Virginia, his MS from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT Systems Analysis Fellow, Center for Advanced Engineering Study), and BA & MA degrees in Government & International Relations from the University of Connecticut (UCONN). A long-time member of the Project Management Institute (PMI) and IPMA-USA, Ken is a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP®) and a member of the PMI®-Honolulu and Philippines Chapters.
Ken’s book — Project Management PRAXIS (available from Amazon) — includes many innovative project management tools & techniques; and describes a “Toolkit” of related templates available directly from him at kenfsmith@aol.com on proof of purchase of PRAXIS.
To view other works by Ken Smith, visit his author showcase in the PM World Library at https://pmworldlibrary.net/authors/dr-kenneth-smith/
