At the 49th Congress of Controllers of the International Controller Association (ICV), which took place on 28. and 29. April 2025 in Munich, Peter Bluhm from Atvisio spoke in a video podcast with Philipp Wicke, Managing Director of TD Trusted Decisions GmbH. The interview revolved around a central topic in controlling and corporate management: the efficient use of key figures in companies and how to increase company performance through targeted analysis and the use of modern analysis tools.
Less is more - the right way to deal with key figures
Today's corporate world is flooded with data and information, and the question arises: which key figures are really decisive for a company's success? In their interview, Philipp Wicke and Peter Bluhm discussed why the "less is more" approach makes sense when selecting and using key figures. Philipp Wicke used specific examples to illustrate that it is often more effective to focus on a small number of meaningful KPIs instead of getting lost in a sea of data.
Criteria for selecting the "right" key figures
Selecting the "right" key figures is one of the biggest challenges in controlling and corporate management. In the interview, Philipp Wicke discussed the decisive criteria that play a role in this selection. Key figures should always be aligned with the company's strategic objectives and offer clear added value. They must be both relevant and action-oriented and enable managers to make well-founded decisions. Only in this way can the company's dashboard become a genuine management tool.
The role of analysis tools and AI in KPI management
Another key topic of the interview was the use of analysis tools and artificial intelligence (AI) in dealing with key figures. Philipp Wicke explained how modern analysis tools facilitate the analysis of key figures and support managers in reacting quickly to changes. The correct use of these tools enables a deeper insight into company data and helps to focus on the most important metrics. At the same time, Philipp Wicke showed why many managers often tend to use larger dashboards and why it still makes sense to focus on the really important key figures. An overloaded dashboard can cause more confusion than clarity and unnecessarily complicate the decision-making process.
Continuous review through feedback mechanisms
One of the key messages from the interview is that working with KPIs is a continuous process.
Companies should regularly check whether the KPIs used are actually delivering the desired added value.
Philipp Wicke emphasized the importance of feedback mechanisms that make it possible to regularly question the metrics and adjust them if necessary.
By continuously analyzing the existing metrics, companies can ensure that their dashboard is always focused on the relevant and success-critical aspects.
This is the only way to ensure that the focus is always on the key figures that really count.
Conclusion: Efficiency by focusing on the right key figures
The interview with Philipp Wicke offers valuable insights into the art of KPI management. It shows that less is often more when it comes to focusing on the really important aspects and making corporate management more efficient. The targeted use of analysis tools and the concentration on a small number of meaningful key figures enable companies to make well-founded decisions and maintain their position on the market in the long term. Companies that have the courage to focus on the key performance indicators and regularly review them using effective feedback mechanisms create the basis for agile and targeted corporate management.
The podcast
Listen to the full interview and find out more about how the efficient use of key figures, analysis tools and a focused dashboard can revolutionize corporate management.
