The Short Answer 1. Identify the measures for which you currently have data. 2. Choose the most important using a forced choice process, asking: "If you had to talk about your program with just one of these circled measures, which one would it be?" 3. Identify your data development agenda using a forced choice [...]
The Short Answer 1. Start with the data you already have. Most programs collect far more data than they use. Do not start the process by collecting new data. 2. Create new data where necessary. Be creative. Use common sense sampling techniques. Some data is better than no data. Full Answer Existing sources and [...]
The Short Answer 1. Simple guiding principle: If it's not useful, don't do it. 2. If it's useful to managers, then it will be useful to everyone else in the decision making process. 3. Use the Seven Questions about performance on a regular basis at every intersection between a supervisor and subordinate throughout the system. 4. [...]
The Short Answer 1. Partner with contractors in developing the system of reporting. 2. Establish a moratorium on penalties until the system has operated for 3 years. 3. Use non-cash rewards 4. Create safeguards against unintended consequences and perverse incentives, 5. Disseminate best practice information. 6. Operate the system with low visibility until you [...]
The Short Answer 1. Performance measurement is not a magic answer. Budgeting is about choices. And choices are about power and politics. Improving budgeting does not necessarily mean improving decisions. But budgets can be made better by presenting better choices (that are likely to result in improvements) and then presenting these ideas more clearly. [...]
The Short Answer 1. Funders want to fund things that make a difference in people's lives. If you can identify customer results (how customers are better off) and use these to describe, plan, operate, and evaluate your program, you will be more successful in obtaining grants. 2. Be clear about the customers, the benefits [...]
The Short Answer 1. Establish some form of interagency forum, collaborative, cooperative, council or cabinet. 2. Agree on the importance of performance, and get everyone on the same page about how to develop and use performance measures. 3. Select the most important measures for both the individual agencies and for the system as a [...]
3.19 How do we create a performance improvement system in our organization? The Short Answer 1. Start small. 2. Keep it simple. 3. Minimize paper. 4. Model behavior 5. Connect to the budget. 6. Make it useful (especially to managers). Full Answer There are in fact many books written on this subject. So go [...]
