Retailers know that the new year brings time to update their inventory records. Whether for tax planning, re-ordering, or just to get a sense of how they did over the holiday season, that inventory process serves a valuable role in helping the organization get a sense of its resources, needs, and opportunities for improvement.

The same can be said for local governments.

While the bulk of annual planning is focused around the budget process, the off-season is a great and (somewhat) less hectic time to take stock of:

• How you’re doing on those projections
• What data is available to demonstrate results
• Where you have some gaps to fill.

Most jurisdictions do a good job of checking their financial progress against projections, such as the percentage of budgeted funds expended through the first quarter or two. No matter what your budget calendar, a 3, 6, or 9-month reality check can alert you if expenses are accruing faster than anticipated.

Performance Checkup

A performance checkup on efficiency, quality, and timeliness is just as important, as it can tell you where you might not be spending your resources as effectively as you could. Even if you’ve never formally adopted a jurisdiction-wide performance management plan, that doesn’t mean you can’t start assessing some of those performance issues now.

Data You Can Use

An inventory might be in order as your first step. Ask your staff what they’re currently measuring. You may be surprised to find that some departments either already track key data internally, or they at least have the technology or other systems to start capturing such data or reporting it via available dashboarding tools. Building on those existing data resources – scattered though they may be throughout the organization – can allow you to make incremental additions to that framework, rather than starting a new program from the ground up.

Filling Gaps

Where gaps exist, don’t feel that you need to start measuring everything all at once. Departments with no metrics in place might start by identifying 2-3 that would give some sense of how they’re doing on key goals. That might not account for every dollar or staff hour they spend, but it can help communicate how their efforts align with the achievement of strategic priorities. If possible, try to vary the measure types so you have a variety of inputs (resources dedicated to the task), outputs (workload completed), and outcomes (goals met).

Developing Key Benchmarks

The ICMA Performance Management Advisory Committee is finalizing a list of 80 key benchmarks for jurisdictions to consider for nationwide comparison. Metric names, definitions, and benchmark data will be posted later this summer so that all jurisdictions will have access to a common set of measures to use with whatever software they choose.