Unit 7 Key performance indicators

Activity 1 Introduction to key performance indicators

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Key performance indicators (KPIs) are most commonly used by business units to measure the performance of business units within companies KPIs. KPIs are also used in project management to track project deadlines and milestones. KPIs act as visual targets to motivate workers to stay focussed and achieved their targets on time and on budget. In business the mantra "what gets measured gets done" holds true. A key aspect for managers, however, is to measure exactly what workers should achieve.

In our lab, we use KPIs to track performance of each student. This enables you (the student) and me (the supervisor) to understand the status of a research project. KPIs measure what has actually been done and not what will be done. In the TNT lab, our KPIs measure exactly what you need to be doing to graduate on time, and what the most able students should be able to achieve.

KPIs are posted on the notice board. The rationale behind this is threefold:

1. to provide external motivator to meet the deadlines and milestones,
2. to provide not only some healthy competition between lab members, and
3. to prepare students for the transition from the world of education to employment.

Activity 2 KPI 1: Graduation thesis drafts

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This is probably the most important KPI from the perspective of a student. There are six milestones. The timeline for completion of these will vary slightly according to the research plan, but the order of the milestones will remain the same. The milestones are:

1. LateX template: Formated with tex, bib and png/eps files
2. Bullet point outline: Headings, subheadings and lists
3. Speed draft: Rough draft in Japanese and/or English
4. Rough draft: Rough draft in English
5. Revised draft: Draft incorporating feedback received on rough draft
6. Polished draft: Edited and proofread draft

The KPI counts the progress of drafts from the first draft to the sixth draft. The first three drafts (LaTeX template, bullet point outline and speed draft) can be completed before the research is completed. Ideally, these are completedly before the start of quarter 3. In quarter 4, the KPI will be the word count of your graduation thesis. Most theses are in the range of 2500 to 3000 words so that will be your target word count. As a rough guide, you will be expected to produce:

1. 28 October: 1000 words
2. 28 November: 2000 words
3. 28 December: 2500 - 3000 words

Activity 3 KPI 2: Software development functionality

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The content of the graduation thesis is based on the design, development and evaluation of software. Each software development differs. The KPI will be designed specifically for your project.

Activity 4 KPI 3: Research

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There are a number of different types of research that you can work on in the TNT lab. The most common is to evaluate the software that you have developed or co-developed. Your graduation thesis could report the evaluation of the software in terms of one or more of the following:

• Usability: evaluating the UI/UX through usability students
• Accuracy: evaluating the precision and accuracy, usually by comparing the true and false positive values with the true and false negative values. This may involving comparing automated processes against human-generated results.
• Efficacy: evaluating the effect that the software impacts on either student learning or artefacts created by learners.

KPIs will be tailored to the particular project you work on.

Activity 5 KPI 4: Conference participation

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As part of the graduation requirements it is necessary to prepare a presentation and a graduation thesis. However, if you want to, we can work together to prepare a conference presentation and submit a research article for publication in the conference proceedings.

Prior to the pandemic, lab members have participated in international conferences giving both paper presentations and poster presentations. This is a valuable experience that not only enhances your resume, but is also likely to broaden your outlook.

Conference participation is contigent on timely completion of research. Potential milestones for conference participation are:

1. Proposal submission: Proposals may be in the format of a short abstract (e.g. 300 words), an extended abstract (e.g. one or two pages), or a short research article (e.g. 4 to 8 pages).
2. Paper submission: This draft is likely to be very similar to the final graduation thesis.
3. Paper revision: Students need to address reviewer suggestions.
4. Presentation preparation: This includes the preparation of a slideshow or poster.
5. Presentation delivery: This may either be live or recorded.

Knowledge and application

Activity 6 KPI board

Keep your KPI board up to date.