Performance Measurement and Program Evaluation
Performance and results-based management are part of the modern management agenda of federal, provincial, and municipal governments. Measuring and reporting on performance demonstrates accountability for public spending and links government activities and services with results for citizens. It also serves as an important source of information for decision-making useful to legislative assemblies, citizen groups, senior managers, central agencies, clients, partners, and program managers and staff.
Government of Canada
Of late, the spotlight on performance and results-based management has intensified.
Reporting structures such as the Management Accountability Framework (MAF) and the Program Activity Architecture (PAA) require that program level activities, outputs and outcomes (with associated performance measures and targets) connect to Departmental and government-wide goals and priorities. These serve as the foundation for integrated planning, including decisions about approving and allocating resources.
The Policy on Evaluation requirement that evaluations are explicitly linked to the Expenditure Management System (EMS) and that all direct program spending is evaluated once every 5 years by 2013 to ensure that there is reliable, evidenced-based information to determine if government programs are achieving their intended results.
In addition, financial pressures and cost cutting measures such as Strategic and Operating Review (SOR) and the Deficit Reduction Action Plan (DRAP), have put increased scrutiny on the use of public funds and often mean that government is expected to do more with less.
In this context, rigorous performance measurement and evaluation becomes an integral tool for public sector managers.
For an overview of program evaluation in the Government of Canada download a copy of our eBook:
Evaluation – A Primer on Evaluation in
the Government of Canada
Consulting Services
To help you with your performance measurement and evaluation needs, Delta Partners can provide the following services:
- Evaluation Services
- Performance Measurement Strategy Development
- Performance Measurement and Reporting Frameworks
- Benchmarking and Key Performance Indicators
- Logic Models
- Systems, Process and Procedures Review
- Presentation and Reporting Performance Information
Evalutation Services
Delta Partners has a longstanding record of providing evaluation services to clients within the federal government. Our consultants are familiar with Treasury Board Evaluation Policy requirements, as well as Canadian evaluation standards.
Delta Partners can assist you with:
- planning and designing evaluation projects;
- pre-evaluation checks;
- evaluation training and customized evaluator’s tool kits;
- undertaking a full evaluation or completing specific components; or
- providing additional capacity to evaluation teams.
Recommended Reading:
Evaluation – A Primer on Evaluation in the Government of Canada
What is Program Evaluation and Does it Really Matter?
Benchmarking Evaluation in the Canadian Federal Government
Performance Measurement Strategy Development
The first step in developing any performance measurement regime is to develop a strategy to ensure successful outcomes. This involves determining needs, setting-goals, assessing capacity, identifying systems, process procedures, and planning for strategy implementation.
Delta Partners can provide planning and policy analysis, as well as strategic, operational, and business planning to help you structure and prepare to implement performance management in your organization. To help you with the transition to new performance management structures and processes, Delta can offer change management and business process improvement services.
Recommended Reading:
Strategy Development
How Resilient Is Your Organization?
The Alternative to ‘Death by a thousand cuts’
PICO: 4 Steps to Asking Better Questions
Tools for Managers: The PESTLE Analysis
Planning and Policy Analysis
Scenario Planning: Crystal Balling or Smart Business?
Scenario Planning: Create a Context
Business Case Development: Ignore the Fundamentals at Your Peril
Change Management
Change Management: necessity or yet another check box?
Change Management – When should it start?
You Can Transform Your Organization
7 Key Factors for Making Change Happen
Kotter’s 8 Steps to Change: More Relevant Than Ever
Business Process Improvement
Budget Cuts: Cut Your Headcount or Improve Your Processes
Performance Measurement and Reporting Frameworks
The implementation of performance measurement in an organization requires supporting frameworks to guide the ongoing collection, monitoring, analysis and reporting of performance data. Appropriate benchmarks and key performance indicators help to support these frameworks by collecting relevant information for decision-making and analysis. Delta Partners can help you with the design of performance measurement and reporting frameworks that will enable you to effectively manage resources and achieve results.
Recommended Reading:
4 Myths of Performance Measurement
10 Guiding Principles for an Effective Performance Management Framework
Benchmarking & Key Performance Indicators
A key component of any performance measurement framework is benchmarks and key performance indicators (KPIs). Benchmarks and KPIs are used to collect key data that can be assessed, analyzed, and track performance and achievement of results. For the best efficiency and effectiveness, benchmarks and KPIs should cascade from high-level organizational outcomes to specific activities. They must also be supported by performance and data collection systems that can not only collect data, but also validate trends, variances and help to identify potential issues with performance.
Delta Partners can help you identify and select benchmarks and KPIs or, alternatively can help you assess if the benchmarks and KPIs are appropriate and still relevant. Where changes are required, we can help with the transition through our change management services.
Recommended Reading:
4 Myths of Performance Measurement
10 Guiding Principles for an Effective Performance Management Framework
Logic Models
Logic models are tools for understanding how individual program activities contribute to achievingorganizational priorities. They convey, in a visual format, the key interrelationships between what an organization does and the results it wants to achieve. Logic models support all organizational facets from design, planning, communication, evaluation and learning, and provide considerable value to programs and subsequently, organizational effectiveness.
In our experience, while logic models are excellent performance management tools, they can also serve as a strategic processto allow management and staff to critically review and improve thinking about the “raison d’être” of an organization.
Delta Partners can lead or help facilitate the development of your logic models using a variety of techniques including Scenario and Root Cause Analysis.
Recommended Reading:
Logic Models: Both a Tool and a Strategic Process
Systems, Process and Procedures Review
Underlying all performance measurement are systems, processes and procedures. These are essential for ensuring that data is collected to support benchmarks and KPIs and then used for accountability and decision-making.
Delta Partners through our business process improvementservices can help you to assess if the systems, processes, and procedures usedfor the collection, analysis and reporting of performance measures are adequate and functioning as intended. When improvements are required, we can assist you with these transitions through our change management services.
Recommended Reading:
Budget Cuts: Cut Your Headcount or Improve Your Processes
Presentation and Reporting Performance Information
The true value of performance measurement and evaluation results comes from its use in decision-making and accountability reporting. Delta Partners can assist you with structuring and presenting your performance information through the application of tools for difference audiences such as the Balanced Scorecard method.
