but really, what is a KPI?

As our world is tracking more data and massive information quantities are processed with AI, the gap between the common understand of metrics and the actionable KPIs that help a company grow is unfortunately getting bigger. This post is an attempt at presenting a concise note on what you really needs to know in order to build powerful and helpful KPIs, and avoid getting lost in a vast ocean of information overload.

KPIs are SMART

Screen your first idea of a KPI with the critical points below. They are backed-up with quotes of the Buddha just in case you get lost in the mathematical matrix.

• Specific

  📜 "The trouble is, you think you have time."

  happiness for instance is not a KPI, unless it's measured on scale that psychologists and researchers have spent time elaborating. Make sure the KPI is specific in a way that none can misinterpret your method for computation.

• Measurable

  📜 "What we think, we become."

  In order to establish a baseline, and determine over time whether you'll be doing better or worse, our KPI requires to be measurable. To measure user adoption, you will need either to gather declarative feedback (surveys, thumbs up/down button) or implicit feedback through click/view trackers

• Attainable

  📜 "A jug fills drop by drop."

  Everybody wants to rule the world, but your roadmap needs to be aligned with your objectives and goals. In particular, keep attainable volumes in mind: if you sell luxury watches, it is unlikely to count on the same sales -and therefore sales feedback- volumes as if you sell baguettes.

• Relevant

  📜 "Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it."

  KPI must be relevant to your timeline because in line with your feature development and marketing and operations scale, to your product because you will try to measure the impact of your product on a specific user experience, not on their overall happiness or things that are out of your control

• Time-Based

  📜 "Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most."

  A KPI is not something you define once, take a picture of and hang on the wall. It's a moving metric that will have ups and downs, that you must interact with, split into several dimensions, compare to the same time last year, etc. Make it a tool in your routines, and therefore, frame it in time.

What KPIs are NOT?

• KPIs are not the company's vision, mission

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are measurement tools, not the guiding principles of a company. A vision defines the long-term aspirations, while the mission outlines the core purpose and values driving the business. KPIs on the other hand track progress toward specific objectives. Confusing KPIs with vision or mission statements leads to misalignment—teams may focus on hitting numbers instead of working toward a greater strategic purpose.

• KPIs are not the product roadmap

A product roadmap is a strategic plan that outlines the direction, priorities, and timeline for product development. KPIs, however, are performance indicators that measure the effectiveness of those strategies. The roadmap guides execution, whereas KPIs ensure the roadmap delivers value and aligns with business objectives. Without this distinction, teams risk focusing on feature delivery rather than measurable impact.

• KPIs are not OKRs

Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) define ambitious, outcome-driven goals, while KPIs are ongoing performance measures. OKRs drive innovation and major improvements, while KPIs ensure consistent operational success. Conflating the two can lead to ineffective goal-setting, where teams either track too many metrics without a clear direction or set ambitious goals without a way to measure incremental progress. Note that some KPIs would sometimes stand out as OKRs for a specific timeframe, to highlight efforts put in a specific direction.

How many KPIs?

Ever seen a two pages powerful start-up mission statement? Ever seen traffic signs that read like novels? Ever had a jingle stuck in your head that would be more than 144 words?

Scientists know that the more variables we have in an equation, the harder it will be to optimise the result: too many local optimums can hide a greater value potential, a huge computing effort to test all the possible combinations of values ...

The best advice is to keep the list short, and the focus on point.