KPIerne

KPIerne is a framework and nomenclature for integrated KPI management across organizations. It emphasizes end-to-end KPI lifecycle management, from definition and data sourcing to calculation, validation, monitoring, and governance. The name pairs KPI with erne, a suffix used in some research initiatives, to suggest a unified approach to performance measurement.

The framework distinguishes KPI types (strategic, operational, tactical) and measurement levels (enterprise, department, team) and supports decomposition by dimension (business unit, geography, product). It proposes a standard KPI dictionary recording definition, calculation formula, data sources, units, targets, and thresholds. A central calculation engine applies auditable formulas and handles data quality checks, missing data, and rounding rules. Governance is central: change control for KPI definitions, versioning, lineage tracing, and approval workflows. Visualization and reporting are modular to serve different audiences, with dashboards and scorecards linked to initiatives and risks.

Applications include corporate performance management, project portfolio oversight, and public-sector performance measurement. Adoption can be resource-intensive and requires robust data governance, cross-functional collaboration, and ongoing maintenance. KPIerne is discussed in academic and practitioner literature as a principled approach to standardize KPI design and ensure traceability across the performance lifecycle. See also: Key performance indicator, data governance, performance management.