The Accenture Enterprise Metrics Management Solution

An appropriate and consistent set of easily-understood performance metrics needs to be within quick access. This requires comprehensive metrics frameworks and automated management capabilities.

Almost every organization has put in place metrics programs of some kind—balanced scorecards, identification of critical key performance indicators (KPIs) and so forth. Taking the next step to a comprehensive system for managing enterprise metrics has been daunting for a number of reasons:

• There is no consistent framework of essential metrics.

• Analysis of data interrelationships—so vital to decision making—is difficult.

• Visibility into metrics is uneven.

• Metrics are a moving target.

Many organizations have been forced to abandon their internal efforts at metrics management. Those that tried to "boil the ocean" with a completely automated solution that required no manual data input encountered vast problems integrating numerous enterprise applications as well as other challenges.

Accenture can help, with a proven approach to enterprise metrics management.

Accenture has deep domain experience across IT, supply chain, finance, HR and all of the other functions incorporated in the solution. This expertise has enabled pioneering collaborations with leading companies to develop measurement frameworks and management systems. As a result, Accenture's metrics management platform provides our clients with a significant head start in achieving an effective metrics program and using it to drive high performance. Accenture ready-to-use assets include:

• Preconfigured metrics management solutions.
• Index and base metric inventories for key domains.
• A defined application architecture.
• A reusable Accenture development methodology.
• Solution delivery centers as part of our Global Delivery Network for rapid prototyping and for delivering a solution faster, at less cost and risk.

The Accenture Enterprise Metrics Management Solution also draws on extensive Accenture experience in change management, training and development, and leadership programs. Few things are as politically charged as the metrics used to evaluate the performance of a firm and its workforce. Accenture has an understanding of these human issues that allows us to help our clients develop proactive strategies to mitigate resistance and mistrust.

Accenture has developed the Accenture Enterprise Metrics Management Solution, which delivers powerful capabilities based on three important components:

• Comprehensive metrics frameworks.
• A metrics management system.
• An application support and maintenance solution

Because a comprehensive metrics framework must go hand-in-hand with the system that manages the metrics, tracks them and integrates with other enterprise systems, the Accenture solution can be adapted to either:

• A tactical solution that can be customized quickly and inexpensively to address the needs of particular departments or groups or;

• A strategic solution that delivers more robust capabilities on an enterprise scale.

Organizations implementing the Accenture solution are finding that it provides them with higher-quality, higher-frequency information, which in turn leads to choosing the right actions that translate into improved business performance. The solution is also adaptable, accommodating change and multiple metrics requirements without being unnecessarily complex. In short, it brings companies the consistent ability to translate insight into action, which Accenture research has identified as an important characteristic of a high-performance business.

The Accenture Executive Portal is an easily customizable tool for real-time metrics reporting providing the interface to the Accenture Enterprise Metrics Management Solution for users to view data and content.