Measuring congresses when the results are uncomfortable
About this session
In this on-demand episode, Mark Watson (Fractal Force) and Pierre Metrailler (Onomi) unpack a difficult reality about congress ROI: it often breaks down not because teams lack effort, but because they measure the wrong things.
Here is a recap of what we covered, including the key moments, the practical example, and the operating model you can apply.
What stood out in the discussion
A core theme was that most congress reporting optimizes for what is easiest to count, not what is easiest to convert into impact. Mark called this the “firework paradox” — dashboards light up with impressive activity numbers, but once the congress ends, it is still unclear what actually changed.
Pierre connected this to what he sees in the field: congresses create real intent, but the evidence is often trapped in disconnected systems, late follow-up, and reporting that does not reflect the funnel.
Key takeaways
- How to stop hiding behind vanity metrics and start proving value
- Why most congress reporting optimizes for what is easiest to count rather than what drives impact
- The “firework paradox” and how to move past it
- How to shift from “how many showed up” to “what actually moved”
- A practical operating model you can apply to your own congress measurement strategy
Speakers
- Mark Watson — Co-Founder, Fractal Force
- Pierre Metrailler — CEO & Founder, Onomi