Citywide Comprehensive Performance Report
Provide feedback for this page
Provide feedback for this page
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES & PRACTICES
Principles of Performance Management
THEME 1:
Purpose, Outcomes, & Goals
This theme affirms that performance management should be tied to mission, outcomes, service value, and decision-making, not just measurement for its own sake.
Core Value
Performance management should focus attention on the services, outcomes, and decisions that matter most.
QUESTION THIS THEME ANSWERS:
Why do we measure, and what is worth paying attention to?
PRINCIPLE 1:
Purpose-Driven Performance
Performance management exists to improve services, support strategy, inform decisions, and strengthen accountability. Measures should connect to mission, resident and staff experience, service quality, and organizational priorities, and the organization’s responsibility to understand differences in access, service experience, and outcomes across communities.
PERFORMANCE QUESTION THIS PRINCIPLE ANSWERS:
What does this measure help us decide or understand about service quality, outcomes, access, or differences across communities?
PRINCIPLE 2:
Outcomes Over Outputs, with Balance
The City prioritizes outcomes and impact, while recognizing that outputs, workload, efficiency, service levels, and process measures are also necessary to understand performance. Outputs help explain what was delivered and outcomes help explain to what extent those efforts were impactful.
PERFORMANCE QUESTION THIS PRINCIPLE ANSWERS:
What outcome are we trying to influence, and what supporting measures help explain progress?
PRINCIPLE 3:
Aspire for Better, Ground in Reality
The City sets goals that reflect a genuine desire to improve services for residents and staff, while grounding short-term targets in operational reality.
Long-term goals should be aspirational and aligned with the City’s desired future. Short-term targets should be based on current resources, known constraints, service capacity, and resources reasonably expected in the near future.
PERFORMANCE QUESTION THIS PRINCIPLE ANSWERS:
Is this goal ambitious enough to reflect improvement, but realistic enough to guide action?