Sorting wheat from chaff
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
