METRICS BASED GOVERNANCE: WHAT GETS MEASURED GETS DONE!

METRICS BASED GOVERNANCE: WHAT GETS MEASURED GETS DONE!

Agenda Introduction Governance and Metrics Metrics and Measurement in Community Action Metrics Based Governance at UPO Impact of Metrics Based Governance at UPO Benefits of Metrics Based Governance Concluding Remarks

Introduction:

Recognize this? Maximum Feasible Participation Consumer Input and Involvement Community Engagement Community Assessment Vision and Direction Organizational Leadership Board Governance Strategic Planning Operations and Accountability Human Resource Management Financial Operations and Oversight Data and Analysis

Metrics Based Governance LESSONS FROM THE ORGANIZATIONAL STANDARDS 5.5 : The organization s governing board meets in accordance with the frequency and quorum requirements 5.8 : Governing board members have been provided with training on their duties and responsibilities 5.9 : The organization s governing board receives programmatic reports at each regular board meeting

Metrics Based Governance: What is it? Data and Information based decision making by the board of directors Constructive board meetings Meaningful interactions between the board of directors and the executive staff Critical evaluation of what is working and what is not by the board of directors Holding the Executive Director accountable for the mission with reference to key indicators and metrics

Metrics Based Governance: What is it? Board actions that minimize organizational risks Effective and Efficient allocation of organizational resources Timely termination of wasteful projects and programs Maintenance of organizational memory with respect to results and outcomes Less reliance on what the staff says and greater reliance on what is documented A board that is engaged and interested in understanding the results of the work done by the organization

Peter Drucker (1909 2005) Described as "the founder of modern management" Austrian-born American management consultant A leader in the development of management education An Educator An Author Made major contributions to philosophical and practical foundations of the modern business corporation

Peter Drucker Writings Wrote 39 books which have been translated into more than thirty-six languages Focused on relationships among human beings and lessons on how organizations can bring out the best in people Focused on how workers can find a sense of community and dignity in a modern society organized around large institutions

Quotes from Peter Drucker No decision has been made unless carrying it out in specific steps has become someone's work assignment and responsibility. Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision What gets measured gets managed What gets measured gets improved

Governance and Metrics / Measurement

In the Words of Peter Drucker Work implies not only that somebody is supposed to do the job, but also accountability, a deadline and, finally, the measurement of results that is, feedback from results on the work and on the planning process itself ~Peter Drucker Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices

What Gets Measured Get s Done! Simply examining an activity changes the activity by forcing you to pay attention to it. Producing measurements about an activity gives you a handle on it, a way to improve it You can't know whether or not you are successful unless success is defined and tracked

Implications What doesn t get measured doesn t get managed When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it When you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind

What Measurement Means in this Context It begins with defining what ideal success levels look like and the information to be used to determine it Subsequently, determining what intermediate success levels looks like Next, track and document actual levels against defined or projected success levels Periodically analyze ratios and take decisive operational actions targeted at improving specific indicators & metrics

Measurement Caveats The goals and metrics being measured have to align with the agency s mission and goals. The link between the metrics and the overall agency goals must be easily identifiable. Leadership has to follow-up Simply measuring something will NEVER ensure an action (or actions) gets done.

Caveat: Not everything is that simple! the relationship with people, the development of mutual confidence, the identification of people, the creation of a community cannot be measured or easily defined. ~Peter Drucker

Caveat: Not everything is that simple! When it comes to people, not everything that goes into being effective can be captured by some kind of metric. Not enthusiasm. Not alignment with an organization s mission. Not the willingness to go above and beyond.

What do we want to measure? A) Results B) Performance Effectiveness Efficiency

Measurement in Community Action

Outcomes Family Level Outcomes Community Level Outcomes Agency Level Outcomes

Examples of Family Outcomes Unemployed persons obtained employment or selfemployment Employed persons obtained better employment or selfemployment Persons maintained employment for at least 90 days Persons increased education or skills Persons increased ability to manage incomes Persons improved or maintained nutrition

Examples of Community Outcomes Municipal infrastructure was maintained or improved The scope and number of opportunities for community participation was created or maintained The supply of jobs in the community was increased The supply of adequate and affordable housing in the community was increased The number and scope of opportunities for low-income persons to participate in advocacy activities resulting in policy or program change was increased or maintained

Examples of Agency Outcomes Agency leveraged external sources Agency acquired or maintained a common intake system that tracks clients across all agency programs Agency improved implementation of ROMA activities Agency programs achieved accreditation Agency formed or maintained partnerships and collaborations to achieve specific outcomes Agency maintained sufficient discretionary funding to support unexpected negative cash flow

Performance Measurement at UPO

About the United Planning Organization Private nonprofit human service corporation Established on December 10, 1962 Established via gifts from both Ford and Meyer Foundation grants Corporate mission: plan, coordinate, and implement human service programs in the Nation's Capital Became the designated community action agency for Washington, D.C. in 1964

About the United Planning Organization Governed by a 21-member board of directors a third are elected by DC residents a third are appointed by the Mayor of DC a third are elected by the board CSBG and Head Start funding account for 80% of funding 74,036 DC residents (36,196 families) served in FY 2014 Operating budget in FY 2014 ~ $40M Staffed by 300+ personnel Operates 40+ community based programs

About the United Planning Organization Funds 9 CSBG sub grant recipients average funding of $300,000 per agency Operates 24 early childhood development sites Funds 5 delegate ECDCs agencies total funding of $9M Awards five $10,000 scholarships to five low-income District of Columbia students annually

Organization: Programmatic Divisions Adult Education Training Division Advocacy Division Community Health Division Community Reinvestment Division Early Learning Foster Grandparents Green Technology Division Sub Grantees Workforce Development Division Youth Services Division

Four Levels of Metrics Based Reporting Level One: Front Line Staff Document Work Done Level Two: Mangers Generate Reports for the purpose of decision making Level Three: Directors Generate Dashboards for decisionmaking by executive staff Level Four: Board of Directors review agency level dashboards and provide feedback to executive staff

Level One: Intake and Service Tracking CSBG Client Data Tracking System ChildPlus DataWits FIS Shelter Hotline Driver Manifests

Level Two: Program Level Reports Demographic Profile Client's Case Management Record Clients in Wards Clients Served by Program Area Clients Served by Staff List Client with Service Records List Group with Service Records Program Outcome Earnings Report Services Requested

Level Two: Program Level Reports Agency Referred To Agency Referred From Service Units Provided Planned vs. Actual Dollars Spent Persons Assisted Aggregate Client and Service Unit Unduplicated Client Counts Report by Services Provided Client List

Level Two: Program Level Reports List of Clients for Follow Up Group Information Two-Way Locator List Staff/Volunteer List Client List by Service Received Client List by Staff ID Address Labels ROMA Planning Executive Summary Report Results Oriented Management & Accountability Report

Level Three: Division Level Dashboards Adult Education Training Division Advocacy Division Community Health Division Community Reinvestment Division Early Learning Foster Grandparents Green Technology Division Sub Grantees Workforce Development Division Youth Services Division

Level Four: Board of Directors Dashboard Monthly Agency Level Dashboard Quarterly Programmatic Division Dashboards End of Year Reports I.S. Report 12 month YTD of Monthly Dashboards

Organization: Administrative Offices Office of Business Management Office of Communication Office of Development Office of Finance Office of General Counsel Office of Human Resources Office of Resource Development Office of Strategic Positioning Office of Technology

Impact of Performance Measurement at UPO

Benefits of Metrics Based Governance

Benefits Greater Data Entry Accountability Directors => Managers => Frontline Staff Division Directors are more attentive Programmatic Division staff work together to make the division look better Administrative Office staff have an increased awareness of how their work impacts the well-being of the organization Improved outcomes Board members have a healthy curiosity about the work

Concluding Remarks

Does it really get done? Metrics that appear on reports are documented by staff at a higher rate than metrics that do not appear on reports Program Monitors routinely provide staff and sub grantees with technical assistance on entering supporting data into data systems Monitors are more likely to find evidence of work that is tracked on reports and dashboards than those that staff do not directly see on reports

Organizational Standards Maximum Feasible Participation Consumer Input and Involvement Community Engagement Community Assessment Vision and Direction Organizational Leadership Board Governance Strategic Planning Operations and Accountability Human Resource Management Financial Operations and Oversight Data and Analysis

Suggestions for Board Members Request reports that document the outcomes you want to see the organization achieve Review the reports and provide constructive feedback Ask questions: what? and how? Suggest opportunities for improvement In-between years, ask for new metrics that interest you (related to the mission) to be included on reports Periodically retain external help to review the data that goes into the reports to ascertain their veracity Challenge the staff to do better

Sources Introduction to Results-Oriented Management and Accountability (ROMA) Community Action Statistical Access UPO COO Reports UPO Business Support Reports http://www.isixsigma.com/community/blogs/what-gets-measured-gets-done/ http://www.druckerinstitute.com/2013/07/measurement-myopia/ http://www.guavabox.com/blog/if-you-cant-measure-it-you-cant-improve-it

Questions

Contact Daniel Ofori-Addo Director of Outcome Reporting United Planning Organization 301 Rhode Island Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20001 dofori@upo.org 202.238.4728 tel 202.588.1479 fax