PA vs Reports
Reports are point-in-time. Performance Analytics is time-series — same metric measured daily/weekly/monthly, with targets, breakdowns, and drill-through. If you need trend, use PA.
Indicators Are Your Building Block
An indicator is a metric definition: the query, the aggregation, the frequency. Start small — 10 core indicators (incidents created, MTTR, backlog, SLA breach rate). Add dimensions over time.
Breakdowns Unlock Value
An indicator without breakdowns is one number. Add breakdowns (priority, assignment group, category) and the same indicator answers ten questions. Don’t over-break — keep breakdowns to dimensions that drive action.
Targets and Thresholds
A dashboard without targets is trivia. Set baseline targets (last year’s average) and aspirational targets. Thresholds turn numbers into traffic lights. Executives want the traffic light, not the number.
Data Collector Load
PA runs scheduled data collectors. On large orgs, uncoordinated schedules can load the instance. Stagger collectors; monitor schedule jobs. A PA dashboard that tanks instance performance isn’t worth having.