5.5.3. Metrics and Critical Success Factors
💡 First Principle: A metric is something you measure; a critical success factor is a condition that must be true for success — and you need both, because metrics without CSFs measure activity blindly, while CSFs without metrics can't be tracked.
A metric is a measurement or calculation that is monitored or reported for management and improvement — a quantified indicator (e.g. average resolution time). A critical success factor (CSF) is a necessary precondition for the achievement of an intended result — something that must be in place or true for a practice or service to succeed (e.g. "users can reach support easily"). Metrics are often defined to track progress toward CSFs.
⚠️ Exam Trap: Don't conflate the two. A CSF is a condition for success; a metric is a measurement. Metrics typically measure whether CSFs are being met — they're related but not the same.
Reflection Question: Why is a CSF described as a condition for success rather than as a number you track?
