2026-10-21
Never trust a percentage alone.
“Errors fell by 50%” sounds impressive. But did they fall from 2 to 1, or from 20,000 to 10,000? Both statements are true; they describe very different situations. Before reacting to a metric, ask for the raw counts, the time window, and what was included.
Watch for shifting denominators. A team can improve its completion rate by accepting fewer difficult requests. A product can raise average usage because casual users leave. The number gets better while the underlying situation may get worse.
Build a tiny habit into your reports: write “18 of 60” beside “30%.” When comparing periods, check that both use the same definition and cover comparable conditions. A holiday week and a normal week are not interchangeable baselines.
Then pair the headline metric with one counterweight: speed with error rate, sales with refunds, output with rework. You don’t need a dashboard full of numbers—just enough context to stop one flattering figure from telling the whole story. Which metric in your work needs a second number beside it?
#EDITHDaily