Measuring Results - A Must For Organizations

Everyone wants to do this. And everyone in therate of employment in the neighborhood, the average
evaluation business has something to say about howand mean incomes of the neigborhood's employed
to do it. So why not us too!adults, and the average length of employment of the
We believe the evaluation of results is lessworkforce.
complicated than organizations make it. Of course, we3. What is the current benchmark of each of those
know from experience that often evaluating our workmeasures?
is made cumbersome by funders and regulators, butOk. Remember, we are making these numbers up.
for now let's pretend they are not in the mix.Currently, only 66% of adults in the neighborhood who
Here is how we approach the evaluation of results.want full time work have full time work. The average
We start with some simple questions.family income of current full-time workers is: $25,000.
1. What are you trying to accomplish for which people?The average length of full-time employment is 14
2. What are the measures that guide your work withmonths.
these people?4. What are your goals about surpassing the
3. What is the current benchmark of each of thosebenchmark over what period of time?
measures?Our goals are to achieve 85% employment (full-time),
4. What are your goals about surpassing theaverage family income of $32,000, and average length
benchmark over what period of time?of employment of 30 month by 2012.
5. What will indicate progress toward your goals?5. What will indicate progress toward your goals?
6. What will you do to achieve the goals (strategiesProgress indicators include: numbers of adults returning
and actions) over what period of time?to school for their high school diploma, and numbers of
Example: Answering the questionsadults in employment training programs.
To offer some clarity, let's answer the questions6. What will you do to achieve the goals (strategies
above for a neighborhood-based employmentand actions) over what period of time?
program.Here is where you develop your plans to achieve your
1. What are you trying to accomplish for which people?answers to the previous five questions.
We are trying to help unemployed people in theYes, we know, life is more complicated than this. But
neighborhood find and keep decent jobs.our six questions can help get you started on the right
2. What are the measures that guide your work withcourse of becoming more results focused and being
these people?able to measure what you do.
The primary measures that will guide our work are the