Selecting SMART KPI's

So many teams are realising that analysts can provide a competitive advantage and are thus taking stats at their games. KPI's are the basis of most performance analysis and it is vital that they provide value and insight, otherwise we are wasting our time. However, a lot of teams are taking general stats that they might see on television or use KPI's that they heard a different team we're using. In reality, our KPI's should be set up specifically for our team. We need to consider several factors to ensure that the KPI's will measure what we need and provide insightful information. Selecting KPI’s is a very important decision as it can affect the quality of the data, which you are going to collect. Using the timeless SMART scale, we can assess the value and insightfulness of KPI's and determine which we will use to analyse the game. 

How do we determine if a KPI is SMART?

Specific

Each KPI that you choose must be a distinctive event that occurs in the game. There should be no confusion about whether or not something occurs in the game and if it can be tagged. The outcome of the events must also be specific to avoid confusion and tagging incorrectly. By choosing clearly, identifiable KPI’s it reduces the margin of error for statisticians. Instead of having to process the events, they see on the pitch they can simply tag what they see it facilitates quicker tagging and will allow statisticians to build templates easily. If the KPI is easily identifiable then we can use pre-built in the templates and thus the process of tagging becomes less complicated. 

An example of a specific KPI would be a kick out. It is an identifiable event. It involves the goalkeeper kicking the ball back into play after the ball has run out over the end line. The outcomes are won or lost and this can be broken down further but all are distinctly different making it easy to tag. On the other side, an example of a KPI that is not specific is a ‘Free Kick Won.’ Although one might consider a free-kick to be a distinct event as it is unique there are additional factors that you must consider. Was the free-kick scored? Is it even a scorable free kick? If so then this affects our chance created calculation and scored conversion rates if the attempt is scored. This will affect our analysis and thus are not distinct events. Free Kicks can be recorded with outcomes such as inside our outside the scoring zone and be used to measure discipline but ‘Scorable Frees’ can be a separate event counting frees from which an attempt at goal was taken. These specific KPI’s are much more effective and useful measures. 

Measurable

This is quite straightforward; can you count the stat that you want to examine? There is no point in trying to tag a stat that you cannot count accurately otherwise, your data quality will be questionable and may misinform your team. As well as this, it is important to remember that our analysis is the examination of data collected. To make the best use of this we must be gathering quantifiable data analyse it. There is no point counting how many possessions each individual has if you cannot tag it quickly enough. Likewise, you cannot count sprints and distance covered without the appropriate equipment. Consider your tools and any limitations that you will have to deal with when tagging the game. Be aware of how these tools and potential limitations could affect how you will be taking stats and your ability to tag different events.

Accountable

This simple concept asks if the event can be tagged to one individual player. Can this player be held responsible? It is important when giving feedback that you know who is responsible for what happened in the game. Who were are top and weakest performers? Who needs to work on what? Who is the best for the system? Are we biased towards players, Did one high our low point distort our memory of the performance? When the data is accountable to each player it will allow you as an analyst to give personalised feedback to players and help them grow as players while also providing unbiased assessments to management. 

Relevant

This for me is the most important aspect of selecting a KPI. Is it relevant? I define relevant by the team’s needs. A lot of teams will use generic statistics that they have seen. Some of these can be relevant to every team but to create real insight I challenge players ana management asking them why a KPI is relevant to their team. What value does it add to your assessment of the game? If you are playing a zonal defensive system then it is not relevant who was marking the scorers, what is relevant was whose zone they scored in. If you are a possession, based team turnovers are going to be extremely relevant. If you are a counter-attacking team then your scoring efficiency will be very important to you. 

I cannot tell you what is relevant because that is different for every team, their players, their management and their system. It is up to the analyst to have discussions with management, and between them establish what will best measure the team's performances. This does not have to be fixed. This can change from game to game. You might notice something in a game and want to look at it post-game because you identified a pattern and wish to identify the cause. I always ask teams not to take stats that they heard other teams use, everyone wants to copy a leading team but we are not that team. Don't just use the stats you see on television, there is a plethora fo KPI's that you can use and even create to asses your team. You are your team with your strengths and weaknesses. The data you collect will be no use you unless it is relevant to you and your team and thus be sure to focus on this when selecting your KPI’s.

Time

It is important to be able to identify when events have happened. It can help you identify patterns of the game. It allows you to bust myths about ‘purple patches’ and also help give added perspective on the game. The timestamp of events can be very important to sync analytics with video and help you create feedback playlists and sessions for the team. 

By assessing your KPI's using these factors you will be able to create a list of valuable KPI's that will provide you with insight into your team's performance. These insights will ultimately feed into your match review, the feedback you provide, the team's training and adjustments and will facilitate the team to improve and develop.