Continuous measurement is an important activity to improve SOC performance having the right metrics to do that is vital. However, metric selection is not easy. The SOC–CMM metric suite list 101 metrics, and even this is only a portion of all the things that you could be measuring.
The SOC maturity report shows that many SOC’s are still struggling with implementing an effective metrics program. I always use two main principles for selecting matrix:
- We only implement metrics when we have a clear goal of what we intend to do with the outcomes of the measurements. Every metrics takes time to implement. It also takes time to process the results. Without a clear goal, this is quite simply a waste of time and resources.
- We only select those matrix that can be connected to challenges within the SOC, or information needs by SOC stakeholders or customers. One of the things I often see in metrics programs is that they are very static metrics are selected, but hardly ever reviewed. As information needs change over time, and SOT challenges change as well, your metrics program should be dynamic rather than static.
Besides meantime to respond, meantime to analyse, and potentially mean time to contain, what are the most important metrics for your SOC?