Sorting wheat from chaff

Jacky Tweedie
Jul 27, 2017 · 2 min read

A little gidget created…it can be used to sort out crap indicators from good’uns. It won’t save you from all the p-political and P-political wrangling that will ensue, but is consistent with all policy requirements and GoC priorities — including Results and Delivery (aka Deliverology).

THE THREE Ms (3Ms)

MEANINGFUL

Specific: clear and concise as to what is expected

Achievable: related to objectives an organisation can influence and achieve

Appropriate for audience: reported where useful for decision-making or accountability purposes (viz. level of organisation and/or internal/external reporting)

Directly linked: indicators link to the output/outcome being measured (relevance)

Reliable: data recorded would be the same if collected repeatedly under same conditions

Valid: indicator measures what it says it will measure

Reasonable proxy: measure changes highly correlated with overall change in performance of the program

Ungameable: outcomes are not easily manipulated by changes in program service/delivery

MEASURABLE

Trackable over time: Data is available, timely, cost effective and budgeted for

MOVABLE

Moving performance levels: Targets should be set, where they are appropriate, on performance levels and dates to achieve those performance objectives. Targets should be treated as an aspirational goal rather than used as an assessment of good or bad performance

If not appropriate, other types of comparison points should be used. For example:

· a tolerance level

· a baseline: multi-year average, most recent result, industry standard, etc.

THE THREE Cs (3Cs)

CLEAR

Understandable: Indicators are instructions on how to measure; if someone reading your indicators would not understand how to go about measuring them, this is a problem

· No vague or underspecified terms

· Indicator is easily understood by a broad public audience (a Grade 9 student can understand the description and intent of the indicator)

CONCISE

Direct and discrete: information clear, in few words — brief but comprehensive

· Avoids bundling up multiple indicators into one

COMPLETE

Whole: Information to be collected for indicators includes:

· Data Source

· Data Owner

· Frequency of Data Collection

· Target

· Date to Achieve Target

· Methodology

For complicated indicators, provide an accompanying methodology; equally, make sure the methodology is crystal clear in providing instructions that someone would need to carry out the measurement

Jacky Tweedie

Written by

is_a cognitive scientist in public service. Files: strategic planning; performance; information; data. Opinions own. Addicted to music

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