Performance indicator design and KPI definition worksheet

Keep the program's logic model or goal framework at hand and design KPIs for each results level to measure: outputs, outcomes and impact.

When to use this worksheet and what completion involves Fictional completed example

EvalCompass Worksheet

Performance indicator design and KPI definition worksheet

Method: Performance Measurement

Keep the program's logic model or goal framework at hand and design KPIs for each results level to measure: outputs, outcomes and impact.

Basic information

Enter the program covered by indicator design and the preparation conditions

Completed example for this section (fictional)

This fictional example is for explanation. Adapt it to your own program. Your entries will not change.

Program name: Consultation referral support (fictional)
Evaluation period: June–December 2026
Prepared by: Records staff member A
Date prepared: September 13, 2026
Planned monitoring frequency (monthly/quarterly/annually): Monthly

Reason for this entry: Fix the period represented by each percentage.

Program name

Evaluation period

Prepared by

Date prepared

Planned monitoring frequency (monthly/quarterly/annually)

Writing tips and explanation for this section

About this section

Enter the program covered by indicator design and the preparation conditions

Fix the period represented by each percentage.

View the method explanation

Writing tips

Follow each field’s heading to record the program name, focus, period, and other details. Leave undecided matters clearly marked as unresolved.

Read the full fictional example

KPI design table

Define each indicator using SMART criteria. No more than 10 indicators is recommended.

Completed example for this section (fictional)

This fictional example is for explanation. Adapt it to your own program. Your entries will not change.

Scroll horizontally to view the table

Indicator name	Results level measured (output/outcome)	Formula and unit	Data source	Collection frequency	Person responsible	Baseline value	Target (end of period)
Connection confirmation rate within 30 days	Outcomes	Number with confirmed connections ÷ people consenting to follow-up that month × 100 (%)	Consent-based follow-up form	Monthly, after 30 days	Consultation staff member A	June: 12 confirmed connections / 20 eligible participants = 60%. Three of the 20 remain unconfirmed.	Pilot a December target of 70% and review its appropriateness in October
Unconfirmed follow-up rate	Measurement quality	Number unconfirmed by the deadline ÷ people consenting to follow-up that month × 100 (%)	Same follow-up form	Monthly	Recorder B	June: 3/20 = 15%	10% or less in December; also review follow-up burden

Reason for this entry: Show outcome values and measurement gaps using the same denominator.

Scroll horizontally to view the table

Indicator name	Results level measured (output/outcome)	Formula and unit	Data source	Collection frequency	Person responsible	Baseline value	Target (end of period)

Writing tips and explanation for this section

About this section

Define each indicator using SMART criteria. No more than 10 indicators is recommended.

Show outcome values and measurement gaps using the same denominator.

View the method explanation

Writing tips

Keep the information in each row aligned. Scroll wide tables horizontally to see every column.

Read the full fictional example

Dashboard design notes

Specify who will view the data, using which tools and how often

Completed example for this section (fictional)

This fictional example is for explanation. Adapt it to your own program. Your entries will not change.

Present monthly connection confirmation rates, numerators and denominators, and unconfirmed rates side by side. Mark July onward as unmeasured. At the October meeting, also review referral destinations' acceptance conditions and participant composition.

Reason for this entry: Do not plot unmeasured values as zero and connect them with lines; explain the conditions behind numerical changes.

Writing tips and explanation for this section

About this section

Specify who will view the data, using which tools and how often

Do not plot unmeasured values as zero and connect them with lines; explain the conditions behind numerical changes.

View the method explanation

Writing tips

Use the example as a reference and record what you have established about your own program. Distinguish assumptions and unchecked matters from confirmed facts.

Read the full fictional example

SMART criteria checklist

Check each designed KPI individually

Completed example for this section (fictional)

This fictional example is for explanation. Adapt it to your own program. Your entries will not change.

☑ Checked: Each indicator clearly defines what it measures (Specific)
☑ Checked: Measurement and calculation methods are reproducible by anyone (Measurable)
☐ Not checked: Targets are achievable with the actual program scale and resources (Achievable)
☑ Checked: Indicators correspond to program goals and the logic model (Relevant)
☑ Checked: Deadlines for target attainment are explicit (Time-bound)
☑ Checked: Baseline values are recorded

Reason for this entry: Targets are provisional; feasibility, including staff burden, remains to be checked.

Each indicator clearly defines what it measures (Specific)
Measurement and calculation methods are reproducible by anyone (Measurable)
Targets are achievable with the actual program scale and resources (Achievable)
Indicators correspond to program goals and the logic model (Relevant)
Deadlines for target attainment are explicit (Time-bound)
Baseline values are recorded

Writing tips and explanation for this section

About this section

Check each designed KPI individually

Targets are provisional; feasibility, including staff burden, remains to be checked.

View the method explanation

Writing tips

Read each item and check those you have confirmed. Do not use the fictional example’s checkbox states as findings about your own program.

Read the full fictional example

Before writing, check when to use the worksheet and what completion involves

Performance indicator design and KPI definition worksheet is a worksheet for applying Performance Measurement in meetings or individual work. For the overall duration of the method, use “Illustrative estimate (adjust for scale and team): indicator design: 1–4 weeks / ongoing monitoring: quarterly to annually” as a reference, adjusting for scale and resources. Fill in what you know provisionally and leave unresolved matters as questions to check next.

When this worksheet is useful

When establishing arrangements to regularly manage and report program or policy progress
When collecting ongoing monitoring information as basic data for annual evaluation reports
When developing dashboards or performance management systems to support data-informed decisions

Participants and preparation

Program staff, managers and evaluation or planning departments. Appoint dedicated data management staff depending on scale.

Bring the materials used for decisions, existing data, and differing stakeholder views to help complete the worksheet.

Suggested order

1. Basic informationEnter the program covered by indicator design and the preparation conditions
2. KPI design tableDefine each indicator using SMART criteria. No more than 10 indicators is recommended.
3. Dashboard design notesSpecify who will view the data, using which tools and how often
4. SMART criteria checklistCheck each designed KPI individually

Signs the worksheet is ready for review

Performance indicator list (KPI list)
Indicator definition document
Performance monitoring dashboard

Cautions for review

Too many indicators become a “forest” that nobody seriously monitors. Keep core KPIs to around 10 at most.
Starting the program without collecting a baseline leaves later achievement difficult to assess
Collecting monitoring data without reviewing it in meetings becomes reporting for its own sake

Guides to read before starting

Read a completed fictional example (your entries will not change)

Fictional example; not actual results

The following is a fictional example for illustration. Confirm whether people contacted the referral destination after consultation, within the scope of their consent to follow-up.

Basic information

Program name: Consultation referral support (fictional)
Evaluation period: June–December 2026
Prepared by: Records staff member A
Date prepared: September 13, 2026
Planned monitoring frequency (monthly/quarterly/annually): Monthly

Reason for this entry: Fix the period represented by each percentage.

KPI design table

Scroll horizontally to view the table

Indicator name	Results level measured (output/outcome)	Formula and unit	Data source	Collection frequency	Person responsible	Baseline value	Target (end of period)
Connection confirmation rate within 30 days	Outcomes	Number with confirmed connections ÷ people consenting to follow-up that month × 100 (%)	Consent-based follow-up form	Monthly, after 30 days	Consultation staff member A	June: 12 confirmed connections / 20 eligible participants = 60%. Three of the 20 remain unconfirmed.	Pilot a December target of 70% and review its appropriateness in October
Unconfirmed follow-up rate	Measurement quality	Number unconfirmed by the deadline ÷ people consenting to follow-up that month × 100 (%)	Same follow-up form	Monthly	Recorder B	June: 3/20 = 15%	10% or less in December; also review follow-up burden

Reason for this entry: Show outcome values and measurement gaps using the same denominator.

Dashboard design notes

Reason for this entry: Do not plot unmeasured values as zero and connect them with lines; explain the conditions behind numerical changes.

SMART criteria checklist

☑ Checked: Each indicator clearly defines what it measures (Specific)
☑ Checked: Measurement and calculation methods are reproducible by anyone (Measurable)
☐ Not checked: Targets are achievable with the actual program scale and resources (Achievable)
☑ Checked: Indicators correspond to program goals and the logic model (Relevant)
☑ Checked: Deadlines for target attainment are explicit (Time-bound)
☑ Checked: Baseline values are recorded

Reason for this entry: Targets are provisional; feasibility, including staff burden, remains to be checked.

Common errors in judgment

Remove unreachable people from the denominator to increase the achievement rate

How to revise: Retain the predefined denominator and show unconfirmed counts too

Reason: This keeps bias from following up only reachable people visible.

Claim a high achievement rate proves program effects

How to revise: Examine progress separately from other influencing factors

Reason: Indicator trends alone provide no counterfactual.

Editorial and checking information

Content updated: 2026-10-07Source checked: 2026-10-07 (includes AI cross-checking)No documented human reviewIncludes fictional examplesEditorial policy and scope of checking Cite this page Report a correction

References and checked sections

Glossary of results-based management terms
Global Affairs Canada
Section consulted
Baseline (Data); Performance measurement; Performance measurement framework; Performance reporting
How it relates to the text
The measurement framework links indicators to sources, collection frequency, responsibilities, baselines and targets.
Source checked: 2026-09-13 (includes AI cross-checking)

How to cite this page

EvalCompass Editorial Team. “Performance indicator design and KPI definition worksheet”. EvalCompass, updated 2026-10-07. https://evalcompass.jun-nakatani.com/en/worksheets/performance-measurement/

Add the date you accessed the page. Text created by this site is available under CC BY 4.0. Quotations, external materials, and bundled fonts have their own terms of use. When reusing content, credit the source, link to the license, and indicate any changes.

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Change history

2026-10-07 — Corrected descriptions and procedures identified through content checks (U02). Preserved input field order, counts, labels and section structure.
2026-10-07 — Clarified the relationship between 12 confirmed connections, 20 eligible participants and three unconfirmed cases in two fictional KPI examples. Preserved definitions, formulas and worksheet field order.
2026-09-13 — Updated explanations to correspond with sources, and added method-specific fictional worksheet examples, judgment examples and revision history.