Digital dodginess, metrics manipulation, and creative counting – thoughts on how to protect against slippery numbers in law departments

As an avid benchmarker and advocate of measurement, I still thought it fair to discuss the gaming of numbers. Once a general counsel announces that something has to be counted, those who count will figure out how to count most advantageously. Thumbs go on the scale or under the scale. General counsel should carefully define important metrics to guard against “creative” counting.

My InsideCounsel column, published on Dec. 6, 2010, delves into metrics and manipulation, all of which is available by clicking where indicated.