360 Performance Program FAQ's
What are performance measures?
Performance measures have been used for a number of years in municipal governments to track and quantify what we do. Typically, performance measures track outputs, such as the percentage of responses that the fire department arrives on scene in less than four minutes. These measures are often used to judge performance as a reflection of the employee’s or the department’s individual performance.
However, the most recent evolution in performance measurement moves away from the “gotcha” system of evaluation and towards a true assessment of the effectiveness of services. This rationale acknowledges that services aren’t provided in a vacuum.
For example, a low scoring performance result may indicate poor performance, but why? It may be an indication that resources should be addressed. Perhaps it’s a policy decision that the governing body may consider. Perhaps it’s something else. With the many different factors that influence service, to only focus on just one factor and ignore the other factors is to ignore an opportunity to address real options for performance and services.
Today’s performance measures are now used to explain not only the “what” of performance measures, but also the “why” of the performance result. The benefit of being able to ask the questions that truly get to the hear to the heart of that performance result is that we can better understand how we came by it and have the opportunity to successfully strategize how we can maintain that level of performance or achieve a different or higher level of performance.
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