IT Metrics That Matter (and the Ones You Should Probably Stop Obsessing Over)

Written By Emily Lents

Let’s face it: the IT industry is addicted to dashboards.

We love to measure, track, and display everything—from ticket volumes to patch compliance to how long Joe from accounting kept that laptop unpatched. But here’s the thing: not all data is useful, and not all useful data gets the spotlight it deserves.

Welcome to Breakpoints & Benchmarks, where we shift the focus from “what’s easy to measure” to what’s worth measuring.

Because let’s be honest: the perfect SLA response time means nothing if your end users still think IT is slow. A glowing patch compliance number means little if you’re not tracking privilege creep. And don’t even get us started on vanity uptime reports.

In this blog, we’ll help you:

  • 📊 Identify metrics that reflect performance and perception

  • 🔄 Set meaningful benchmarks (and adjust them as you grow)

  • 📈 Use Power BI to create dashboards that actually get used

  • 🤝 Bridge the gap between IT metrics and leadership communication

  • 🧭 Track continuous improvement in a way that builds trust

You’ll also get plenty of templates, data storytelling tips, and real-world use cases we’ve deployed with clients. Because when it comes to metrics, the goal isn’t to look good on paper. The goal is to drive better decisions.

And we’re here to help you do just that—one breakpoint at a time.

Emily Lents