Start with the decision—not the dashboard.
A useful measurement brief makes the decision clear before it specifies a report. These six questions help a team get there.
1. What decision will the work support?
Be specific. “Understand performance” is broad. “Decide which model journey needs attention” or “assess whether a campaign reached people who went on to research the car” gives the analysis a purpose.
2. What counts as a meaningful outcome?
Separate exposure, visits, engagement, leads and sales. Each answers a different question. Agree which actions matter and what the available data can actually observe.
3. What is the comparison?
A change needs context: a prior period, another market, a competitor benchmark or a suitable comparison audience. Check whether seasonality, model launches or incentives could explain part of the difference.
4. What evidence is available?
List the sources, coverage, definitions, permissions and known gaps. A missing connection should be visible in the brief, not concealed in the final report.
5. Who will interpret and act on the result?
Include the people who understand the campaign, website or product. Agree who can make changes and when the evidence is needed. A report that arrives after the decision has limited use.
6. What would change your mind?
Define what a strong, weak or inconclusive result would mean. Measurement should allow the original assumption to be challenged.
A brief you can bring to the first conversation
- The decision and its deadline.
- The markets, models, audiences or channels in scope.
- The outcomes and baseline you want to examine.
- Available data and its limitations.
- The people responsible for interpretation and action.
You do not need every answer before contacting us. An honest list of unknowns is a useful starting point.
New practical guide prepared for this website, drawing on the measurement approach described across Sophus3’s published work.
