Training Module
Training Module
Objectives & Performance Foundations
Learn the fundamentals of objective setting, KPI definition, and KPI governance for management systems
Understand
Implement
Manage
Audit
Training module overview
Organisations often define objectives and KPIs to satisfy governance or certification expectations, but struggle to make them usable in day-to-day management. Objectives drift into slogans, KPIs multiply without clear ownership, and definitions vary across teams — making comparisons unreliable and decisions harder.
This module provides a disciplined foundation for setting objectives and designing KPIs that are aligned, unambiguous, and governable. The focus is on objective clarity, indicator quality, and practical ownership models — without turning measurement into a dashboard exercise.
Organisations often define objectives and KPIs to satisfy governance or certification expectations, but struggle to make them usable in day-to-day management. Objectives drift into slogans, KPIs multiply without clear ownership, and definitions vary across teams — making comparisons unreliable and decisions harder.
This module provides a disciplined foundation for setting objectives and designing KPIs that are aligned, unambiguous, and governable. The focus is on objective clarity, indicator quality, and practical ownership models — without turning measurement into a dashboard exercise.
Target audience
Management system implementers and coordinators
Quality, information security, environmental, and HSE managers
Business and operational managers accountable for objectives and KPIs
Governance, compliance, and assurance professionals who rely on KPI clarity
Internal auditors (manager-side) who need to assess whether objectives and KPIs are well-defined (not how to audit)
Management system implementers and coordinators
Quality, information security, environmental, and HSE managers
Business and operational managers accountable for objectives and KPIs
Governance, compliance, and assurance professionals who rely on KPI clarity
Internal auditors (manager-side) who need to assess whether objectives and KPIs are well-defined (not how to audit)
Agenda
What objectives and KPIs are for (and what they are not)
Objectives vs. targets vs. measures vs. indicators
Typical failure modes: placeholders, overload, and unowned metrics
Objective setting in practice
Writing objectives that are specific enough to manage
Strategic, tactical, and operational objectives: choosing the right level
From objective to KPI
Translating intent into observable signals
Leading vs. lagging indicators and when each is useful
KPI quality and behavioural effects
Relevance, actionability, and cost-of-measurement thinking
Avoiding gaming, vanity metrics, and misleading ratios
KPI definition discipline
Consistent definitions, units, boundaries, and interpretation notes
Baselines and targets (when appropriate) without forcing false precision
KPI governance and ownership
Clear roles: owner, contributor, reviewer
Keeping KPI sets stable and maintainable over time
Harmonising objectives and KPIs across standards and functions
Shared definitions across integrated systems
Avoiding parallel KPI universes for different “standards audiences”
Workshop
Define 1–2 objectives and a small KPI set (3–5) for a real context
Produce a compact, reusable KPI register entry set (definitions + ownership)
What objectives and KPIs are for (and what they are not)
Objectives vs. targets vs. measures vs. indicators
Typical failure modes: placeholders, overload, and unowned metrics
Objective setting in practice
Writing objectives that are specific enough to manage
Strategic, tactical, and operational objectives: choosing the right level
From objective to KPI
Translating intent into observable signals
Leading vs. lagging indicators and when each is useful
KPI quality and behavioural effects
Relevance, actionability, and cost-of-measurement thinking
Avoiding gaming, vanity metrics, and misleading ratios
KPI definition discipline
Consistent definitions, units, boundaries, and interpretation notes
Baselines and targets (when appropriate) without forcing false precision
KPI governance and ownership
Clear roles: owner, contributor, reviewer
Keeping KPI sets stable and maintainable over time
Harmonising objectives and KPIs across standards and functions
Shared definitions across integrated systems
Avoiding parallel KPI universes for different “standards audiences”
Workshop
Define 1–2 objectives and a small KPI set (3–5) for a real context
Produce a compact, reusable KPI register entry set (definitions + ownership)
Course ID:
HAM-OPF-1
Audience:
Auditor
Manager
Domain:
Agnostic
Available in:
English
Duration:
7 h
List price:
CHF 550
Excl. VAT. VAT may apply depending on customer location and status.
What you get
Learning outcomes
Write clear objectives with an appropriate level of specificity and ownership
Distinguish objectives, targets, measures, indicators, and monitoring activities in a consistent vocabulary
Design KPIs that are relevant, actionable, and resistant to common distortions (gaming, vanity, overload)
Select appropriate leading and lagging indicators for different kinds of objectives
Produce unambiguous KPI definitions (scope, units, calculation rules, interpretation notes)
Establish KPI ownership and review roles so KPI sets remain usable over time
Harmonise objective and KPI definitions across integrated management systems without duplicating KPI catalogues
Write clear objectives with an appropriate level of specificity and ownership
Distinguish objectives, targets, measures, indicators, and monitoring activities in a consistent vocabulary
Design KPIs that are relevant, actionable, and resistant to common distortions (gaming, vanity, overload)
Select appropriate leading and lagging indicators for different kinds of objectives
Produce unambiguous KPI definitions (scope, units, calculation rules, interpretation notes)
Establish KPI ownership and review roles so KPI sets remain usable over time
Harmonise objective and KPI definitions across integrated management systems without duplicating KPI catalogues
Learning materials
Slide deck
Participant workbook
Certificate of completion
Slide deck
Participant workbook
Certificate of completion
Templates & tools
Objective definition template (objective statement, scope, owner, success description)
KPI definition template (name, purpose, scope, unit, calculation rule, interpretation notes, owner)
KPI governance matrix (owner / contributor / reviewer)
Objective & KPI register template (compact, maintainable definitions set)
Objective definition template (objective statement, scope, owner, success description)
KPI definition template (name, purpose, scope, unit, calculation rule, interpretation notes, owner)
KPI governance matrix (owner / contributor / reviewer)
Objective & KPI register template (compact, maintainable definitions set)
Prerequisites
This module assumes general familiarity with management system concepts and organisational roles. No prior standard-specific knowledge is required.
Helpful background includes:
Basic understanding of how objectives are used in management and governance routines
Familiarity with core organisational processes and accountability structures
This module assumes general familiarity with management system concepts and organisational roles. No prior standard-specific knowledge is required.
Helpful background includes:
Basic understanding of how objectives are used in management and governance routines
Familiarity with core organisational processes and accountability structures
Helpful preparatory modules
The modules below prepare for an optimal learning experience – but are not strictly necessary for participants to follow.
System Foundations: Context, Stakeholders, and System Boundaries
Understand organisational context, stakeholders, and system boundaries
7 h
System Foundations: Context, Stakeholders, and System Boundaries
Understand organisational context, stakeholders, and system boundaries
7 h
System Foundations: Context, Stakeholders, and System Boundaries
Understand organisational context, stakeholders, and system boundaries
7 h
Leadership & Policy Foundations: Management Commitment and Policy Direction in Practice
Understand leadership responsibilities in management systems and how top management sets clear policy direction and accountability
7 h
Leadership & Policy Foundations: Management Commitment and Policy Direction in Practice
Understand leadership responsibilities in management systems and how top management sets clear policy direction and accountability
7 h
Leadership & Policy Foundations: Management Commitment and Policy Direction in Practice
Understand leadership responsibilities in management systems and how top management sets clear policy direction and accountability
7 h
Continuous learning
Follow-up modules
Follow-up modules
After completion of this module, the following modules are ideal to further deepen the participant's competence.
After completion of this module, the following modules are ideal to further deepen the participant's competence.
Ready to achieve mastery?
Bring ISO requirements into everyday practice to reduce avoidable issues and strengthen the trust of your customers and stakeholders.
Ready to achieve mastery?
Bring ISO requirements into everyday practice to reduce avoidable issues and strengthen the trust of your customers and stakeholders.
Ready to achieve mastery?
Bring ISO requirements into everyday practice to reduce avoidable issues and strengthen the trust of your customers and stakeholders.