A key performance indicator (KPI) is a quantifiable measure used to evaluate progress toward a specific business goal, whether at the organisational, team, or campaign level. In research and insights contexts, KPIs often include metrics like brand awareness, customer satisfaction scores, concept appeal ratings, or purchase intent. Effective KPI selection requires clarity about what success looks like before a study launches, not after results arrive. For qualitative research teams, KPIs help frame the questions worth asking and give stakeholders a shared reference point for interpreting findings. Without that anchor, even rich qualitative data can struggle to land in a boardroom.