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I have recently been appointed to set up and direct a
Performance Measurement & Analysis Unit in our State Govt - Public
Sector - Human Services Organisation in Queensland Australia. The dept
is responsible for delivering family and child welfare and juvenile justice
services and developing govt policy. The client base is a state
population of 3-4 million, staffing approx 2000 full-time equivalents (1200
in service delivery outlets across a state with a mixture of metropolitan
and rural and remote communities).
The concept of structured and co-ordinated performance
monitoring is a new and challenging concept for managers in the
organisation who predominantly arise from a social work,
psychology and welfare background.
Having previously spent 18 years in the public sector health
service delivery environment -10 years as a scientist and health service
provider and 8 years as a post MBA business manager - I am an ardent proponent
of the arranged marriage of scientific business principles and service
delivery outcomes in the area of human services.
My new challange is driven and supported by the new
"CEO" (Director General) who is accountable to the state govt for the
dept's performance.
The starting point I have is that - like most
organisations inexperienced in comprehensive performance measurement - the
underlying data collected by the organisation predominantly focuses on activity
and inputs and managers who are inexperienced in applying performance measurment
to decision making. The organisation is dismantling previously established
silo depts that have replicated performance areas focussing on
their own needs and not the whole organisation's vision.
The approach I am considering is a three phase learning curve.
I intend to engage managers to participate in an evolution
that will move the organisation from disparate unrelated
output measures to a comprehensive set of performance measures that allow
managers to convert strategy into focussed
action :
I have categorised the three phases of development
as:
1. Output (Activity) focussed performance measurement
& analysis
to developing and owning
2. Effiicency measures
to identifying key
3. Outcome measures
consistent with our strategic objects and vision.
All three phases of the evolution would be framed
by a balanced score card focus
All three aspects of performance measurement would be used in
management decsion making ranging from resource allocation to strategic
planning.
I also have a unique opportunity to significantly inform
the co-ordination business information systems and services as well
as drive the development of supportive data management
practices
A recent foray into phase two as a means of testing the water
resulted in an enthusiastic response from managers to participate.
I do not want to squander this fantastic opportunity to
implement sustainable long term change and would value any advice or reference
literature that would contribute to what we are trying to achieve.
yours gratefully
Richard Rubendra
Office of the Director General
Department of Families
Queensland Government
Australia
Level 7 111 George St
Brisbane
Queensland 4001
Australia
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