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Enhancing the Effectiveness of Federal Agency Performance Measures: Examples From the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General (OIG)
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| Presenter(s):
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| Melba Reed, United States Environmental Protection Agency, reed.melba@epa.gov
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| Gabrielle Fekete, United States Environmental Protection Agency, fekete.gabrielle@epa.gov
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| Abstract:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) Office of Program Evaluation (OPE) conducts independent evaluations of the agency's programs. Some of these evaluations have examined performance measurement as a means of improving program implementation and management practices. This presentation will share a literature review from an evaluation of an environmental regulation compliance program that led to criteria for assessing the effectiveness of performance measures. In addition to using the criteria to assess the effectiveness of performance measures for an environmental regulation compliance program, OPE also used the criteria in an evaluation of a water pollution program. Findings and recommendations from both studies will be discussed.
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Assisting Federal Managers to Gather Reliable Data on Their Performance Measures
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| Presenter(s):
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| Herbert Baum, ICF Macro, drherb@jhu.edu
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| Andrew Gluck, ICF Macro, andrew.gluck@macrointernational.com
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| Abstract:
The Obama Administration has made it clear that data driven management is a fundamental principle of their administration. Macro International Inc. works with a number of federal agencies to obtain data for GPRA and PART measures. Data driven management can only succeed if the data provided are of high quality. Managers need help defining and identifying what this means. As part of this work we have assisted in the refinement of a tool, 'Data Validation and Verification Worksheet.' Managers in conjunction with the data owners answer a series of questions that clarify the data assumptions, data validity, data reliability, timeliness of the data collection, accuracy of the data, integrity of the data, and limitations of the data. In this presentation we share with the audience the various steps in using this tool as well as review the parts of the tool.
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Federal Evaluation Policy: What Evaluators Say We Need
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| Presenter(s):
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| Margaret Johnson, Cornell University, maj35@cornell.edu
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| William Trochim, Cornell University, wmt1@cornell.edu
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| Abstract:
This study presents a look at the views of professional evaluators on the essential components of federal evaluation policy. In the spring of 2008, a random sample of members of the American Evaluation Association were surveyed to learn what they thought should be included in a comprehensive set of U.S. federal evaluation policies. Using the concept mapping methodology developed by Trochim, responses were grouped, rated and analyzed. The results constitute a taxonomy of evaluation policy at the federal level, as well as a comparative analysis of views by member sub-group
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Performance Measurement in Changing Times: Crafting Goal-Based Measurement for a Federal Demonstration Program
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| Presenter(s):
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| Jon Blitstein, RTI International, jblitstein@rti.org
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| Kimberly Leeks, RTI International, kleeks@rti.org
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| Alicia Richmond, United States Department of Health and Human Services, alicia.richmond@hhs.gov
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| Allison Roper, United States Department of Health and Human Services, allison.roper@hhs.gov
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| Barri Burrus, RTI International, barri@rti.org
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| Abstract:
The fundamental nature of good performance measurement ties an organization's goals and objectives to measurable results that provide evidence of level of effectiveness. Our approach to performance measurement is based on a 'mission-to-measures' alignment matrix that begins with the program's mission and through a targeted process establishes quantifiable and/or qualifiable goals. The mission-to-measures process includes four key steps: (1) defining mission and goals; (2) clarifying levels of accountability; (3) identifying results tied to program operations; and (4) determining indicators of success.
This paper presentation provides an overview of the mission-to-measures matrix and describes how it was applied to assist the Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Programs in establishing sound performance measures for the Adolescent Family Life (AFL) Program. AFL program supports grant funded demonstration projects whose purpose is to develop, implement and evaluate innovative science-based projects that increase knowledge and capacity in the field of adolescent reproductive health.
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