Welcome to Collective Conversation Sign in | Join | Help

Measurement PRoponent / PRomulgator

 
Musings about all things communications measurement: myths, milestones, metrics, missteps, best practices.

Patterns 'n Packages

There's a tendency out there to want to (over)simplify measurement solutions into patterns and packages such that a client of a certain size with a certain need could be slotted into a bronze, silver, gold or platinum measurement package. 

The easy answer ain't always the right one in measurement any more than it is in building one communications plan to suit all client needs (not to mention their reporting structure, operating environment, management style, communications department culture, PR practitioners' roles, their research orientations and the prevailing model of PR resident in the organization).   

I suspect I'm preaching to the converted, but, in my view, each measurement program MUST be built to meet specific needs. 

Adhere to an indstry standard?  Heck no.  There isn't one and nor should there ever be.  

Regard industry best practices (such as those that come out of the Institute for PR's Measurement Commission)? 

Absolutely. 

I feel like this is a bit of an uphill battle sometimes, but it is something that we must continue to educate key stakeholders on. 


AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Published 13 July 2007 14:23 by Alan Chumley

Comment Notification

If you would like to receive an email when updates are made to this post, please register here

Subscribe to this post's comments using RSS

Comments

    No Comments

Leave a Comment

(required) 
(optional)
(required) 
Submit

About Alan Chumley

In the newly-created role of Director, Measurement, Alan works with clients from the business development phase all the way through their relationship with Hill & Knowlton, identifying the ideal metrics for defining, and then measuring success. Alan marries his background as a communications practitioner with a deep understanding and experience in measuring communications to deliver measurable impact. An active blogger and frequent speaker, Alan is also a resource on trends, theories and the latest insights in measurement. Prior to joining Hill & Knowlton, Alan was the Vice-President, Business Development, at Cormex Research, a Canadian media content analysis and measurement firm. Before this, Alan held increasingly senior positions on both the client and supplier side including: CNW Group (formerly Canada Newswire) as Director, Media Intelligence Services; Bell Canada as Associate Director of Corporate Communication, and ING Canada as Marketing Communications Specialist. Alan is a graduate of the University of Waterloo and holds a post-graduate certificate in public relations from Ryerson University and an M.A. in communication and culture from York University with research focusing on media effects and uses, audience analysis, reception studies and best practices in PR management and measurement. Alan teaches a course in research and program evaluation in Ryerson University’s post-graduate PR certificate program and is a member of the Canadian Public Relations Society’s Measurement Committee.