If you can’t measure when an action is complete, then the action description is also incomplete.
The Issue
Actions like:
- “Work on stakeholder engagement”
- "Update project schedule"
- "Investigate {fill in the blank}"
...never truly finish. There's no finish-line, so they linger.
What Makes an Action Measurable
A measurable action has a clear endpoint. That means they have clear quality criteria that are met or not.
You should be able to answer:
- “Is this done—yes or no?”
One Example
Not measurable:
- “Improve presentation” - What does this mean? Am I just adding a logo OR rewriting the entire presentation?
Measurable:
- “Incorporate Bill's comments to the presentation slides and upload it to the shared folder.”
The quality check on the reworded "measurable" action would be:
- Were Bill's comments incorporated into the slide pack? Yes or No?
- Did Bill agree with the changes? Yes or No?
- Was the presentation uploaded to the shared folder? Yes or No?
You don't need to write the quality criteria down, but you should practice asking such questions to yourself as you write each action down.
Another Example
Instead of:
- “Look into vendor options”
Use:
- “Document the pros/cons of the three vendor options in a table.”
What is the quality check?
- Has a pros/cons table been prepared?
- Have the pros/cons been populated for each option?
Now completion is obvious.
Why This Matters
Measurable actions:
- Make reporting easy
- Track real progress
- Avoid endless tasks
They allow you to confidently close-out an action, knowing the work is complete. Because of their clarity, they often trigger subsequent actions which builds team momentum.
Quick Check
Ask:
- What is the deliverable?
- What does “done” look like?
If you can’t answer clearly—it’s not measurable.
Meetings should produce outcomes, not ongoing activity.
Tired of hearing “I’m working on it”? Bring clarity and accountability with the CalculitX Project Action Tracker.
I'd love to hear any examples you have of unmeasurable actions and what you did to change them. Please share them below in the comments.
#productivity, #projectmanagement, #meetingmanagement, #meetingminutes, #actionitems.
Comments ()