PIECES Framework

–Performance
–Information
–Economic
–Control
–Efficiency
–Service

The need to improve Performance
–Improve throughput: the amount of work performed over some period of time.
–Improve response time: the average delay between a transaction and a response to that transaction.
–Throughput and response time should be evaluated separately and collectively.

The need to improve Information and data
–Too little or too much information
–Lack of needed or relevant information
–Lack of relevant information
–Information that is not in a useful form
–Information that is not accurate or timely
–Information that is difficult to produce
–Illegal information

The need to reduce Economic or cost impacts
–Costs are unknown
–Cost are untraceable to source
–Costs are excessive
–New markets can be explored to generate profit
–Marketing can be improved
–Opportunities to increase orders exist

The need to improve Control and Security
–Input data is not adequately edited
–Crimes are committed against data
–Fraud or embezzlement
–Ethics are breached based on data or information
–Redundantly stored data is inconsistent in different files
–Privacy of data is being violated
–Processing or decision making errors are occurring
–System is deviating from planned performance

The need to improve Efficiency
–People or machines waste time
–Machines or processes waste materials and supplies
–Effort required for tasks is excessive
–Materials required for tasks are excessive

The need to improve Service
–The system produces inaccurate results, inconsistent, or unreliable results.
–The system is not easy to learn or to use.
–The system is too complex or awkward.
–The system is inflexible to situations and exceptions or new requirements.
–The system does not interface well to other systems.
–The system is not coordinated.