What must be included when developing metrics for the control life cycle?

When developing metrics for the control life cycle, it is essential to include thresholds that identify when controls no longer provide intended value. These thresholds are critical because they help organizations understand when a control is failing to meet its effectiveness, allowing for timely intervention. By establishing clear thresholds, stakeholders can monitor controls actively, ensuring that they are functioning within acceptable parameters. If a control falls below its defined threshold, it indicates that the control may need to be reassessed, improved, or replaced. This proactive approach aids in maintaining a robust risk management framework and ensures that controls continue to provide necessary protections against threats.

In contrast, while customized reports, descriptions of methods for metric development, and metric repositories are valuable aspects of managing metrics, they do not directly address the operational effectiveness of the controls themselves. Instead, they may enhance communication, documentation, and organizational knowledge but do not provide the critical indication of control performance that thresholds do. Thus, including thresholds is fundamental for effective control life cycle management.