Reviewing performance data

The aims of the review procedure are to provide continuous monitoring, and to have a good level of detailed data always available so that there is minimal delay in problem analysis.

Generally, there should be a progressive review of data. You should review daily data weekly, and weekly data monthly, unless any incident report or review raises questions that require an immediate check of the next level of detail. This should be enough to detect out-of-line situations with a minimum of effort.

The review procedure also ensures that additional data is available for problem determination, should it be needed. The weekly review should require approximately one hour, particularly after experience has been gained in the process and after you are able to highlight the items that require special consideration. The monthly review will probably take half a day at first. After the procedure has been in force for a period, it will probably be completed more quickly. However, when new applications are installed or when the transaction volumes or numbers of terminals are increased, the process is likely to take longer.

Review the data from the RMF™ listings only if there is evidence of a problem from the gross-level data, or if there is an end-user problem that can’t be solved by the review process. Thus, the only time that needs to be allocated regularly to the detailed data is the time required to ensure that the measurements were correctly made and reported.

When reviewing performance data, try to:

Do not discard all the data you collect, after a certain period. Discard most, but leave a representative sample. For example, do not throw away all weekly reports after three months; it is better to save those dealing with the last week of each month. At the end of the year, you can discard all except the last week of each quarter. At the end of the following year, you can discard all the previous year’s data except for the midsummer week. Similarly, you should keep a representative selection of daily figures and monthly figures.

The intention is that you can compare any report for a current day, week, or month with an equivalent sample, however far back you want to go. The samples become more widely spaced but do not cease.

Related tasks
Performance monitoring and review
Deciding on monitoring activities and techniques
Developing monitoring activities and techniques
Planning the performance review process
Planning your monitoring schedule
Typical performance review questions
Confirming that the system-oriented objectives are reasonable
Anticipating and monitoring system changes and growth
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