Actionable Outcomes: Best-practice Agency Evaluation Series Part 9

Agency Evaluation Issues

“Nothing ever happens after the assessment is finished.” This is worst practice! The whole point of relationship evaluations is that they result in actions to address identified issues – either building on strengths or fixing weaknesses. Yet a recurring criticism by participants in may agency relationship evaluation programs is that nothing ever happens after the assessment phase.

Create Actionable Outcomes

With best practice relationship evaluation programs the assessment phase of the program is followed by robust analysis and then action meetings with the agency. So the assessment phase is not an end in itself but rather a means of gathering valuable information to facilitate action planning. This is accomplished in meetings with the agency involving senior management from both sides. These meetings are held locally, regionally and globally as required.

The meetings review the findings from the assessment phase and progress to Action Plans that address weaknesses and build on strengths. Broad objectives of these meetings are:-

• To understand the current state using factual, reliable and complete data;

• To be a two-way flow of information to both uncover issues and also recognize excellence;

• To improve agency performance and seek to optimize costs;

• To ensure that the client is “enabling” the agency to work at maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

The meetings allow an open dialogue that references the findings of the evaluation in order to ensure an informed, fact-based discussion. For each issue an action point should emerge. These should be documented. Together they constitute an Action Plan which should be kept, distributed and referenced.

The Action Plan meetings conclude with:

• Setting of goals and expectations for the next evaluation period;

• If applicable, discussion of Performance Incentives;

• Agreement about timetable for the next evaluation period.