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Goodhart's Target Backfire

When a measure becomes a target, people optimize the measure. Set a support quota, then watch closed calls, hang-ups, and repeat demand move together.

Set the target

Push the closure target high enough and agents can hit it by shortening calls, dropping messy cases, and creating tomorrow's demand.

Calls closed per agent per hour8

Add a counter-metric

Pair speed with quality so the team cannot win by making the customer come back.

The target is plausible. Throughput rises, but the system is not under enough pressure to game the metric heavily.

40Closed calls per hour

4%Hang-ups and rushed exits

13%Customers back within 7 days

82Customer health score

Gaming is information

If people can hit the target by harming the outcome, the target is revealing a design flaw, not a character flaw.

Pair speed with quality

Useful metrics travel in sets. A throughput goal needs a counter-metric for rework, satisfaction, safety, or long-term value.

Watch the second chart

The backfire often appears away from the target dashboard: repeat calls, returns, escalations, churn, or work pushed to another team.