How to Measure Anything : Finding the Value of 'intangibles' in Business

Anything can be measured. This bold assertion is the key to solving many problems in business and life in general. The myth that certain things can't be measured is a significant drain on our nation's economy, public welfare, the environment, and even national security. In fact, the chances are good that some part of your life or your professional responsibilities is greatly harmed by a lack of measurement—by you, your firm, or even your government.Building up from simple concepts to illustrate the hands-on yet intuitively easy application of advanced statistical techniques, How to Measure Anything, Second Edition reveals the power of measurement in our understanding of business and the world at large. This insightful and engaging book shows you how to measure those things in your business that, until now, you may have considered ''immeasurable,'' including technology ROI, organizational flexibility, customer satis-faction, and technology risk. Offering examples that will get you to attempt measurements—even when it seems impossible—this book provides you with the substantive steps for measuring anything, especially uncertainty and risk.Don't wait—take a look inside and find out: \* The three reasons why things may seem immeasurable but are not \* Inspirational examples of where seemingly impossible measurements were resolved with suprisingly simple methods \* How computing the value of information will show that you probably have been measuring all the wrong things \* How not to measure risk \* Methods for measuring ''soft'' things like happiness, satisfaction, quality, and more \* How to fine-tune human judges to be powerful, calibrated measurement instruments \* How you can use the Internet as an instrument of measurement Praise for How to Measure Anything: Finding the Value of Intangibles in Business "I love this book. Douglas Hubbard helps us create a path to know the answer to almost any question in business, in science, or in life . . . Hubbard helps us by showing us that when we seek metrics to solve problems, we are really trying to know something better than we know it now. How to Measure Anything provides just the tools most of us need to measure anything better, to gain that insight, to make progress, and to succeed." -Peter Tippett, PhD, M.D. Chief Technology Officer at CyberTrust and inventor of the first antivirus software "Doug Hubbard has provided an easy-to-read, demystifying explanation of how managers can inform themselves to make less risky, more profitable business decisions. We encourage our clients to try his powerful, practical techniques." -Peter Schay EVP and COO of The Advisory Council "As a reader you soon realize that actually everything can be measured while learning how to measure only what matters. This book cuts through conventional clich?s and business rhetoric and offers practical steps to using measurements as a tool for better decision making. Hubbard bridges the gaps to make college statistics relevant and valuable for business decisions." -Ray Gilbert EVP Lucent "This book is remarkable in its range of measurement applications and its clarity of style. A must-read for every professional who has ever exclaimed, 'Sure, that concept is important, but can we measure it?'" -Dr. Jack Stenner Cofounder and CEO of MetraMetrics, Inc. The Intangibles And The Challenge -- An Intuitive Measurement Habit : Eratosthenes, Enrico & Emily -- The Illusion Of Intangibles : Why Immeasurables Aren't -- Clarifying The Measurement Problem -- Calibrated Estimates : How Much Do You Know Now? -- Measuring Risk : Introduction To The Monte Carlo -- Measuring The Value Of Information -- The Transition : From What Measure To How To Measure -- Sampling Reality : How Observing Some Things Tells Us About All Things -- Bayes : Adding To What You Know Now -- Preference & Attitudes : The Softer Side Of Measurement -- The Ultimate Measurement Instrument : Human Judges -- New Measurement Instruments For Management -- A Universal Measurement Method : Applied Information Economics -- Bringing The Pieces Together. Douglas W. Hubbard. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "From market research to information technology to financial reporting, How to Measure Anything reveals the power of measurement to our understanding of business and the world at large. This book will show you how to measure those things in your own business that, until now, you may have considered "immeasurable," including customer satisfaction, organizational flexibility, technology risk, and technology ROI." "With examples ranging from how a marine biologist measures the population of fish in a large lake to how the United States Marine Corps found out what really matters in forecasting fuel requirements for the battlefield, you will discover a "universal approach" to measuring "intangibles," along with some interesting methods for particular problems."--Jacket