USING PERFORMANCE DATA TO WIN SUPPORT BARBARA EMERSON, FAIRFAX COUNTY, VIRGINIA SEPTEMBER 2004

To Sum it Up If you don’t measure results, you can’t tell success from failure. If you can’t see success, you can’t reward it. If you can’t reward success, you’re probably rewarding failure. If you can’t see success, you can’t learn from it. If you can’t recognize failure, you can’t correct it. If you can demonstrate results, you can win public support. Reinventing Government Osborne and Gaebler

Fairfax County Program Since 1997, all agencies have been required to follow a consistent Countywide methodology that includes:  Quantified objectives of what specifically will be accomplished during the fiscal year  A “Family of Measures” to present a balanced picture of performance. This includes: Output – quantity of units produced Efficiency – ratio of inputs to outputs Service Quality – customer satisfaction, accuracy or timeliness of service Outcome – qualitative results of service

Fairfax County Program  Performance measures are shown in the annual budget document. Three prior years of actual data Current year estimates Budget year estimates  Since 2000, all non-public safety employees (approximately 8,000 of 11,000) have been on the Pay for Performance system.  The County Executive conducts annual meetings with agencies to discuss their level of performance.

Fairfax County Program Objective: To obtain a Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) rating of 85% or better in the categories of vacant unit turnaround time, capital fund administration, work order completion, security, unit inspections, self- sufficiency, and resident satisfaction. Output:Clients housed Efficiency:Cost per client Service Quality:Occupancy rate Outcome:HUD’s PHAS rating

Considerations  Fairfax County’s Department of Housing and Community Development did not want to collect two different sets of data – one for the local PM effort and a separate one for the feds.  They selected measures that were meaningful for them, would enable them to strive for improvement, and satisfy federal requirements.

How PM Data are Used  To assist in funding decisions  To communicate program effectiveness to elected officials, County management and the public  To hold employees accountable for achieving results

How Do We Compare?

Observations  It takes time  It cannot be a sporadic activity  You have to use the data if you want people to take it seriously  Always look for opportunities to improve!