What Gets Measured Gets Done Strategic Planning Balanced
What Gets Measured Gets Done: Strategic Planning & Balanced Scorecards Christopher Bradie, Ed. D. Associate Vice President Division of Business Services
regarding the process of developing the scorecard What Were Hoping to Accomplish? We Needed a Consistent Methodology to Formalize Goal Setting and to Chart Progress • Inconsistency of data from report to report • Process changed from year to year, causing some frustration Traditional Goal Setting Process Focused Almost Exclusively on Financial Goals • Did not include provisions for service, operational efficiency or staff development Department Day-to-Day Operations Not Necessarily Tied to Established Goals We Needed to Integrate Goal Setting and Measuring Progress Towards Targets -- A Cultural Change for the Division
regarding the process of developing the scorecard Balanced Scorecard: Overview What is the BALANCED SCORECARD? • Management tool providing an organization with an at-aglance view of its progress toward its strategic goals • “Balances” financial and non-financial measures • Includes performance drivers (lead measures) with outcome measures (lag indicators) • Importantly, it is a decision making tool and not a report card (gives guidance on what you are presently doing so that you can make course corrections as necessary)
regarding the process of developing the scorecard Balanced Scorecard as a Solution The Benefits • Necessitated that departments perform an intensive business -analysis clear mission and vision, define their goals, identify specific initiatives, and to “measure the un-measurable” • Allows a consistent framework that can be used as a repository for information and or reporting • Links actual work activity to goals and also establishes links BETWEEN goals • Provides rationale for task delegation and performance management
regarding the process of developing the scorecard Why We Like It • Links Actual Work to Goals • Encourages Participation • Facilitates Performance Management/Conversations • Measures the “Un-measurable” • Provides Macro and Micro Level Views of Organization Performance • Provides a Consistent Framework for Information and Reporting • Once established, relatively easy to maintain
Anatomy of a Scorecard
Anatomy of a Scorecard
regarding the process of developing the scorecard
regarding the process of developing the scorecard Experiences/Learning We wanted our measures to be a specific expression that helped us understand our progress toward a goal • We learned that there were many different measures that were relevant, but only a few that were actually important Departments initially went into measurement-frenzy • Often no process for collection, measure really wasn’t part of normal operating activity, IT systems did not actually capture data we were seeking Too much lag (outcomes), not enough lead (drivers) Establishing measures & targets was a challenging process • Departments had a tendency to believe their activities couldn’t be measured • Fear of being held accountable preempted meaningful conversations • Targets sometimes unrealistic (too aggressive, too reserved)
regarding the process of developing the scorecard Maxims “Sometimes when you have a hammer, everything starts looking like a nail” • The scorecard is extremely versatile, but it’s not a panacea “When you’re hungry, half a sandwich is better than nothing at all” • “If the pieces are not in place to implement the entire philosophy don’t ditch the whole concept. Use the parts that will help the organization get better” (Ralph Smith, Orion Development Group)
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