MEL That Matters: Turning Evidence into Adaptation

Make It Useful or Don’t Do It

MEL is not about filling templates; it’s about changing behavior. If data doesn’t provoke a decision, it’s vanity.

My MEL Principles

• Few, meaningful indicators over long lists.
• Near-real-time sense-making—short learning huddles beat annual reviews.
• Visuals & stories—context makes numbers actionable.
• Psychological safety—teams must feel safe to report failure.

A Simple MEL Cadence

1. Weekly: Field notes + two metrics.
2. Monthly: Reflection call—what to stop, start, continue.
3. Quarterly: Adaptation memo—document pivots and why.

Closing

Good MEL is a habit, not a report. When teams see decisions change because of their data, they become believers.