ASSESSORS ORIENTATION 2008 DEPARTMENTAL SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Your Tools for Assessment … The Batho Pele Principles The Guide for Applicants The Desktop Assessment Score sheet Your insight The entrant’s evidence

Important Evidence Types SDIP Application of Batho Pele to achieve mandates and Provincial Priorities Charters Customer Interaction Measurement data – internal + external

Assessors Role Familiarize yourself with the requirements under each principle Familiarize yourself with the entrant’s application form and evidence Study their responses to each question and look for supporting evidence Decide as a team on the most appropriate score Seek the assistance of the technical facilitators when needed Make appropriate feedback comments for each principle. Always try to state what was good and what could be improved. Make general comments on your overall observations of the organization's evidence Let the Project Manager know when you have finished.

Missing evidence If the applicant has failed to provide evidence and has not justified this exclusion, they score a 0 (zero). If compliance can be reasonably assumed in the absence of direct evidence, a score of between 1 and 3 only can be given

Diversity of entrants Everyone must have an equal chance to win an Award. Therefore: we need to take into account the differences between the types of organizations applying and their operational environment. When awarding points consider the : - Organizational constraints - Profiles of customers served - most appropriate approach to achieve objectives - level of progress achieved within timeframe

Feedback comments All entrants must receive a feedback report on their results Feedback reports provide valuable input to entrants for continuous improvement of their services. Important points to remember when making feedback comments are: Use clear, simple and complete sentences. Comment on what is relevant and central to the criterion being addressed, important to the applicant, and consistent with the scoring guidelines. Use a polite, professional and positive tone. Be specific and clear, referring to actual examples from the application and evidence.

Giving feedback cont… Clearly identify the strength or area for improvement. Be sure that each statement is clearly justified and connected to the specific examples. Draw a linkage between the evidence provided or not provided and the organization's overview or key organizational drivers given in Sections 1 and 2 of the Application Questionnaire.

The scoring process Study the evidence provided Match it with the criteria to be measured Decide whether there is any supporting evidence If not – mark your score sheet under the column ‘no evidence’ If there is – decide whether it is ‘direct’ or ‘indirect’ Decide whether it is ‘substantial’, ‘moderate’ or ‘minimal

The scoring process - scoring scale

SCORING THE EVIDENCE FOR CONSULTATION There should be wide consultation Enough time should be allowed to carry out each exercise and for customers to give input It should be clear why the consultation is being conducted, what the questions are and the timescale for responses Consultation should be clear, concise and widely accessible Feedback should be given on the responses received and how these are going to influence policy and delivery

SCORING THE EVIDENCE FOR SERVICE STANDARDS Why set standards? To do away with ambiguity and ensure that citizens have realistic expectations about what to expect To promote accountability and transparency as standards represent a commitment by the public sector organization that they will deliver services of a specific standard to meet the needs of the community

Stds should be smart Specific = relating directly to the objective to which it refers Measurable = capable of being measured – quantifiable, time sensitive Accurate = acceptable as an unbiased measure Realistic = volume and nature of data to be collected are appropriate to capacity for collection and use / achievable Timely or time bound = there are specific timeframes/ and/or data collection arrangements are timely

Serv Stds: Common Weaknesses Not having standards Poorly defined making measurement difficult Considerable confusion between service standards and indicators Not readily available to clients – therefore not aware of what to expect Too much emphasis on responsibility of departments and little to none on client responsibility ito accessing services Service standards unachievable leading to exaggerated expectations Staff unaware of standards, clients unaware Departments having rigid and uniform standards which don’t take account of local conditions/ variations

Serv Stds: Common Weaknesses Little understanding that considerable effort is required to actually implement standards, that is more than just about defining them Not linking standards to current reform initiatives, e.g. other Batho Pele principles Not linking to strategic objectives Not monitoring No budget for setting and assessing No baseline data

Siyabonga Mafezwe Khanyile