Taking Stock of Performance Measurement: Information Resources for Public Managers.

• Author: Calia, Roland
• Position: Brief Article

This article summarizes the resources currently available on performance measurement and benchmarking. It covers key publications, training, and Web sites from the GFOA and other national organizations.

Searching for information about performance measurement and benchmarking can be a daunting task. A Web search can turn up hundreds of entries. Dozens of organizations publish monographs, offer training programs, maintain Web sites, and provide consulting services on the subject. Wading through the morass of Web sites and slick promotional brochures is enough to turn off all but the most intrepid researchers. To assist you in your research, the GFOA staff has compiled a survey of performance measurement information resources that will help cut through all the clutter and find the information that you need.

GFOA staff members often get inquiries from finance officers wanting to know: Where can I find basic, jargon-free information about performance measurement? What if I want to know more about regional benchmarking? What about linking performance measurement to decision making in the budget process? To answer these and related questions, this article provides a snapshot of selected informational and training resources available on the Web and through major associations focused on financial management issues. It is based on a more comprehensive review of performance initiatives commissioned by the GFOA Committee on Governmental Budgeting and Management at its Winter 2001 meeting.

Getting Started

Taking the first step toward implementing a performance measurement system can be difficult without a good grasp of the basic concepts, techniques, and uses of performance measures. The resources listed below can help beginners answer basic questions like:

* What is performance measurement?

* What are the different types of performance measures?

* What is a performance measurement system?

1. Resources Available from GFOA. GFOA has a number of resources available that are designed to provide an introduction to performance measurement concepts and practices.

   * An Elected Official's Guide to Performance Measurement (Salomon Guajardo and Rosemary McDonnell). This publication provides an overview of performance measurement in a concise and readable format. It is a useful primer for understanding the basic concepts of performance measurement and its role in the budgeting process. It includes information on best practices in performance measurement, the types of performance measures and implementing a performance measurement system. ($10 for members, $15 for nonmembers--available from GFOA)

   * "Performance Measurement: the Link to Effective Government"--a GFOA Research Bulletin, April 1994. (Patricia Tigue and James Greene, Jr.). This bulletin provides a short survey of the topic, discussing how governments can improve decision making through the use of performance measurement. It also examines obstacles to performance measurement and describes the conditions that must be met to implement a performance measurement system (Free from GFOA)

   * Implementing Performance Measurement in Government: Illustrations and Resources (Joni L. Leithe). This publication provides a framework for understanding and using performance measurement, including how to select and design measures and ways to keep performance measurement relevant for decision making. It includes many illustrations of American state and local governmental performance measurement systems. ($18 for members, $22 for nonmembers--available from GFOA)

   * New GFOA seminar--Introduction to Performance Measurement. GFOA will offer a new introductory course on the basics of performance measurement. It will include discussions of data collection methods, how to construct measures to help governments budget and plan better, and strategies for obtaining departmental and government-wide buy-in. For more information, look for upcoming announcements in the GFOA Newsletter and the training section of the GFOA Web site. (http://www.gfoa.org)

2. ICMA Resources. The International City/County Management Association's Web site contains an informative on-line article entitled "Overview of Performance Measurement" by Richard Fisher that gives readers a comprehensive summary of the history, types, and uses of performance measures and benchmarks. (http://www.icma.org--go to Products and Publications)

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