The action needs to be visible and congruent, and it must close the feedback loop to the suppliers of the information. There must always be a resultant action that is visible and consistent with all the elements of the metrics framework, i.e., the analysis, the model, and the goals. Do not have a metrics program if the data produces no action. If the solution is one that cannot be implemented, publish the results and remove the metric. An organization must have a good implementation ethic to succeed.
Dysfunction is the enemy of metrics programs.
For a metrics program to succeed, it is necessary to establish trust, value, communication, and understanding. This concept is best illustrated by the Hippocratic oath taken by new physicians. The relationship between a doctor and a patient by its nature has to be one of trust. Doctors practice within a strict code of ethics and professional standards epitomized by the Hippocratic oath by which they have sworn. This oath defines, in the broadest possible sense, the relationship between the doctor and the patient.