1. Outcome Thinking and Management
Shifting Focus from Activities to Results
Training Information Provided by:
Center for Outcomes
Rensselearville Institute
Training Sponsored by
Foundation Center
Knowledge to build on.
End

2. Outcomes: the 3rd Stage of Management
Stage 1 Early Industrial Economy: Management of Workers
Stage 2 – 1920 – 1970: Management of Work
Stage 3 – The Age of Outcomes: Management of the Product Work…The Results
…using outcome thinking to guide all management functions as a way to improve client result and return on investment.

3. Introduction to Outcome Thinking
Your Team is charged with – Improve Agency Performance
Three Approaches
The problem approach
The activity approach
The outcome approach

4. The Problem Approach Benefits of Problem Thinking: Traps
A problem approach comes with a certain set of questions:
Why do we have a problem?
What or who caused it?
What obstacles exist to solve it?
Benefits of Problem Thinking:
Answers the WHY question
Gives historical understanding
Motivates and engages
Provides a baseline
Traps
Analysis Paralysis
Can depress and “de-motivate
Focuses on what was/is, not what could be
Motivates and engages
Provides a baseline

5. The Activities Approach
An activity approach leads to a different set of questions:
What should we do?
When can we start?
Who can do it?
What are the rules?
Benefits of Problem Thinking:
Fire, fire, fire
Get us moving
Makes us feel productive
Traps
Re-enforce crisis management
Equates activity with results
Skips reflection and learning
All start, no finish
Burn out

6. The Outcome Experience
Imagine that in three years you and your staff/board are celebrating a highly
successful three year period for your organization. Answer the following:
What are we hearing, seeing, feeling, experiencing once we succeed?
What is in place that wasn’t before?
What has been gained for us and those we serve?

7. The Outcome Approach Benefits of Outcome Thinking: Traps
Increased clarity
What success looks like
What we have accomplished
The gap
Traps
Aim, aim, keep aiming
Pie in the sky
Can cross the vision/hallucination line
Must be lived to be believed
Enables learning and innovations
Puts meaning to mission
Assures staff alignment
Build staff energy
Helps with follow up functions

8. Overview of Major Outcome Models
The Logic Model
Balanced Scorecard
Outcome Funding/Management Framework
Targeting Outcomes of Programs
Managing for Results
Getting to Outcomes
Scales and Ladders
Results Mapping
Results-Based Accountability