Here are a few reminders about the process of performance measurement:

  • Get people involved, both those whose work is represented and those who decide what work is to be done.
  • Make sure to be clear about the outcomes of the initiative.
  • Let people know what is expected for each of the measures to maintain the integrity of the data.
  • Use more than one measure to communicate results.
  • Try to include measures that are important to tell the organization’s story.
  • Make sure measures fit together to tell a complete story and provide the information required to make decisions.
  • It takes time to create the right measures so be prepared to review and revise as necessary to suit the needs of your organization.

Questions to be asked at each of the four stages of putting performance measurement into action have been asked throughout this manual. For a complete checklist please refer to Appendix 3: Diagnostic Questions.

A final word

Always work towards creating the best measures to manage the initiative, to make improvements, to meet the expectations of the decision makers and to tell the story. Be practical; it must work for those responsible for getting it done too.