2. Learning objective Objectives of the exercise:
Get familiar with commonly used performance indicators.
Analyze & assess performance and contextual indicators.
Define strategic actions & objectives for performance improvement.
Identify benchmarking partner(s) for specific indicator and/or areas.
Time and methodology:
6 hours.
Groupwork with 2 presentations.
Limited guidance on request.

3. Groups
Groups:
we will create utility groups, each with 4 or 5 participants.
each group represents a utility.
in this exercise, there are 4 different utilities (profiles).
Roles of group members:
One group leader who balances the utility interests.
One spokesman to present the group work.
One person looking after operational aspects.
One person looking after commercial aspects.
One person looking after financial aspects.

4. Assignment 1 Assignment 1: Understanding Your Utility
Aim: Understand who you are, identify areas of good and deficient performance:
Take a good look at the profile of the utility assigned to your group.
Briefly explore the distributed list of variables and contextual information to get a first impression of your utility’s situation (page 2, 3 and 4 of company’s datasheet).
Prepare a 3-sheet powerpoint presentation with 1 sheet each on your utility profile (based on the contextual, operational, financial and commercial performance); the areas of good (1 sheet) and deficient performance (1 sheet).

5. Assignment 2
Assignment 2: Performance improvement strategies and benchmarking partner
Aim: Define your performance improvement strategy and select indicators and benchmarking partner:
Based on the outcome of assignment 1 define the utility's strategy and objectives for performance improvement.
Select the related and relevant PIs that would signal improvement (tip: select PIs from datasheets pages 5 and 6).
Consider the risks that a too singular focus on improving deficient PIs could have detrimental effects on other performance areas and related PIs and formulate mitigating strategies and objectives, if necessary.

6. Assignment 3
Aim: Performance improvement strategies and benchmarking partner
Find a benchmarking partner by comparing your utility with the others, with a focus on comparing the indicator values in areas where your company is deficient. Please consider contextual factors that may explain better performance by other utilities.
Prepare a 5-sheet powerpoint presentation including the 3 sheets from assignment 1, plus the new utility strategic actions/objectives (1 sheet); relevant PIs that need to be monitored for improved performance (1 sheet); the utility or utilities that perform better and could become benchmarking partners (1 sheet).

7. Typical objectives maximise access to the service; maximise sales;
minimise costs;
minimise losses;
maximise customer satisfaction;
improve assets quality.