Measuring Performance: 5 Simple Tips for Designing Meaningful, Feasible, and Actionable Key Performance Metrics (KPM)

This brief lightning talk was presented at the Medical Library Association's 2026 Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In work settings that are increasingly focused on quantifiable key performance metrics, it is imperative that members of the Medical Library Association community – especially early career individuals – have access to evidence- and experience-based best practices. This is especially true given the growing focus on measuring and reporting on impact and continuous quality improvement, across most roles in knowledge economy libraries/organizations. From front-line staff members to senior leadership, metrics impact our daily work, strategic management efforts, annual performance reviews, etc. Therefore, this lightning talk, which is intended to equip attendees with practical recommendations and strategies, will be broadly applicable to conference attendees. More specifically, the talk will focus on 5 tips that offer the greatest and most applicable value-add for attendees, touching on topics such as: going beyond outputs to impact; considering key interest-holders’ needs; welcoming diverse perspectives to the table; understanding the value of proxy metrics; the inherent limitations of many key performance metrics, etc. Attendees will leave the lightning talk empowered to immediately apply the strategies and other recommendations to their daily work and strategic management and planning projects as well as to explore additional resources. This resource is supported by the National Library of Medicine of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number U24LM013751. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.