When organizations measure transformation, they often look at lagging indicators:
- ROI after a project has closed
- Cost savings once a system is retired
- Customer satisfaction after a service redesign
These are useful, but by the time we see them, it’s already too late to change course.
Leading indicators
Leading indicators are early signals that tell us if we’re moving in the right direction.
Examples:
- Adoption: Are people starting to use the new process, tool, or platform?
- Engagement: Are customers exploring a new channel or service option, even if volumes are still low?
- Collaboration: Are teams working across silos in ways they didn’t before?
These don’t prove success yet — but they show whether momentum is building.
Why it matters in architecture
As architects, we often design target states and roadmaps. But real transformation depends on behavioral shifts.
- If employees start choosing the new way of working over the old one, that’s a leading indicator.
- If stakeholders begin to frame needs in terms of capabilities rather than systems, that’s a leading indicator.
- If early usage metrics show that customers are trying out the new service, that’s a leading indicator.
My reflection
When I coach or lead architectural change, I’ve learned to celebrate these small early signals.
They don’t guarantee outcomes — but they predict direction.
Transformation is less about the final ROI graph, and more about noticing the first signs of a new way of working.
Quick checklist: spotting leading indicators
When shaping your own transformation, ask:
- Behavior – What early changes in how people work would prove momentum?
- Usage – How will we know the new platform, process, or channel is actually being tried?
- Collaboration – What visible signs of new partnerships or habits can we track?
If you can answer these three questions, you already have the first draft of your leading indicators.