Getting outcomes creds and saving time! September 25, 2009
Posted by Paul Duignan in : Accountability, Doing evaluation more efficiently, DoView, Easy Outcomes, Outcomes models, Outcomes systems architecture, Philanthropy, Standards, Strategic planning, Using the approach , trackbackPublic sector organizations these days have two important imperatives: establishing that they are truly ‘results and outcomes-focused’ while also becoming more efficient in their internal organizational activity. The really good news in the outcomes area is that using a central tool of outcomes work – outcomes models (a particular type of visual model of all of the high-level outcomes the organization is seeking to achieve and the steps it is taking to do so) is that organizations and programs can do both at the same time.
It is obvious that doing work on outcomes may lead to being more focused on outcomes and gaining organizations outcomes cred from influential stakeholders, but if it is done in the right way it can also increase internal organizational efficiency. This is because a number of different internal activities which organizations undertake have, at their core, some sort of concept of an outcomes model. It may or may not be explict and may be formated in different types of ways. These activities are: strategic planning, prioritization, performance management, evidence-based practice, economic analysis and value-for-money exercises, and outcomes-focused contracting.
The trick to turning an increased focus on outcomes into an increase in internal organizational efficiency is to develop a common outcomes model which can then be used right across these different organizational functions. This has the potential to reduce the current duplication of effort which is almost certainly occurring within most large organizations as different staff undertake different functions as they, in effect, spend their time building duplicate outcomes models.
Of course, it takes time and effort to build a robust outcomes models and they need to be fit-for-purpose if they are to be able to be used for a range of organizational activities, but it can be done. (Hence the standards for constructing outcomes models and the use of DoView outcomes software I’ve been involved in developing). I spend a significant part of my time these days building such models for organizations.
I’ve just put up an article talking about all this. If you have a moment to check it out and put any comments you have at the bottom of it, I would appreciate that. It is:
Duignan, P. (2009). Having a common outcomes model underpinning a range of organizational activities. Outcomes Theory Knowledge Base Article No. 264. (http://knol.google.com/k/paul-duignan-phd/having-a-common-outcomes-model/2m7zd68aaz774/125).
Paul Duignan, PhD. (Follow me on my Outcomes Blog; Twitter; or via my E-Newsletter).
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