PREFORMANCE MEASUREMENT DEFINITIONS

Performance Measurement

Performance measurement is generally defined as regular measurement of outcomes and

results, which generates reliable data on the effectiveness and efficiency of programs.

Input

Resources (human resources, employee time, funding) used to conduct activities and
provide services.

Activity

Individual tasks funded by projects or programs. Typically, the smallest unit of work.

For example: meetings with professional counterparts, conducting a training

workshop, providing ITC equipment, providing expert assistance drafting policy or
legislation, running a course or seminar, holding a town meeting, creating a
community task force, establishing an advising center, conducting an
information/education/communication campaign, issuing reports, etc.

Output

Products and services delivered. Completed product of a specific activity, whether executed
internally by the organization or by an external contractor.

Often stated as the amount of products and services delivered during one reporting period
(for example, a year).

For example: number of IV-professional counterpart meetings, number of exchange

visitors participating in homestays, number of people trained, number
of seminars conducted, number of pamphlets published, number of papers
disseminated, number of ITC systems delivered, number of host families attending
orientation workshops, number of IVs from West Africa, number of women using
village medical clinics, number of Marvin Hamlisch CDs produced, etc.

Output information does not tell you anything about the actual results achieved or the
consequences of the products and services delivered. Output information is important
to show the scope or size of what the inputs and activities produce.

1
Outcome

An outcome represents a specific result a program is intended to achieve.

An outcome can also be defined as the specific objective of a specific program.

An outcome is not what the program actually produced itself (the output), but the
consequences of those products, services, or assistance.

It is important to distinguish between end outcomes (objectives), on one hand, and

intermediate outcomes (intermediate results), on the other.

End Outcomes (Objectives)

This is the highest-level objective towards which a program works.

The end outcome is what the program has been designed to achieve ultimately.

The end outcome should be the most ambitious outcome or result program
managers can materially affect or influence and for which they are willing to be held
responsible.

Intermediate Outcomes (Intermediate Results)

An intermediate outcome or intermediate result is a critical outcome or result that

must occur in order to reach the higher-level, end outcome/objective.

You must make progress towards or attain the intermediate outcome or result
before you can achieve the end outcome/objective.

You can also posit a sequence of intermediate outcomes, which must be attained, in
order to achieve the end outcome.

In the Managing for Results literature (another, similar, take on performance

measurement), you can also posit a sequence of results, framed as sub-intermediate
results and intermediate results, that must be met in order to reach the higher-level
objective. Rather than relying on a flow-chart, Managing for Results uses a pyramid
as a means of illustrating this hierarchy of results.

2
Logic Model

A logic model is an outline stipulating the activities being conducted, the outputs recorded,
and the outcomes anticipated, in order, for a particular program.
(In some cases, a logic model can include a time-frame.)

The logic model represents your informed hypothesis about how things work:

1. Starting with activities and outputs, it allows you posit the intermediate
outcomes that need to occur, in order for you to reach the desired end outcome
or objective.

2. Starting with the end outcome, it allows you to posit what intermediate outcome
must first be achieved, and the kinds of activities and output necessary to reach
those outcomes and achieve those results.

Throughout this process, all outcomes/results should be expressed in statement form,

the simpler the better. The actual wording depends on what you are trying to achieve.

It is also important to understand that several intermediate outcomes/results may be

necessary to achieve one end outcome.

The table below provides examples of intermediate outcomes and end outcomes for certain
program areas.

Program Area Intermediate Outcomes End Outcomes

Information 1. Increase in independent Free Flow of Information
sources of information.
2. Increase in private sector media (alternative wording: Freer Flow
outlets of Information)
3. Increased use of IT
technologies.
Information 1. Adoption of Freedom of Increased citizen access to
Information legislation government information
2. Increased NGO advocacy for
citizen access.
3. Improved dissemination of
information
Human rights 1. Legislation promoting human Human rights protections conform
rights enacted. to international
2. Increased advocacy for standards/commitments
adherence
3. Human rights commissions/
committees established.

3
Indicators

An indicator is an instrument that helps you measure change over time. In order to
measure an increase in global warming, for example, we monitor the change in weather
patterns, the number of hurricanes in Maryland, or decreasing rainfall in California.
Because it measures change over time, an indicator is a means of detecting progress or lack
of progress to intermediate outcomes (intermediate results), and to end outcomes and
higher-level objectives.

It is important to remember that end outcomes and higher-level objectives require higher-
level indicators. Intermediate outcomes/results require lower-level indicators.

An indicator should be:

Useful for program management

Appropriate to the outcome (dont measure height with a thermometer)
Direct it measures the outcome as stated
Relevant and important to the outcome (and larger mission, if applicable)
Reflects determination about extent of program influence over the outcome (if
there is no program influence, it shouldnt be an outcome, and so you shouldnt be
measuring it)
Sensitive to change
Based on reliable and valid data
Operational data collectors understand what data is needed and how to collect it.

Indicators can be either quantitative, or qualitative, or a hybrid of the two.

A quantitative indicator uses counts or percentages.

A qualitative indicator is generally a rigorous form of assessment.
A hybrid indicator quantifies qualitative data like an index.

These indicators are often complementary. Qualitative data may be more useful in cases
where outcome measurement is difficult to do and where important outcomes are difficult
to capture quantitatively. Indices are often useful ways of presenting qualitative data to
number-crunchers.

The table on the next page provides some indicators for the outcomes listed in the outcome
table above. These are just illustrative.

4
Outcomes Indicators
End outcome: Free flow of 1. Percent (%) of population that trusts
Information available new sources.
2. % of population receiving news,
disaggregated by source radio, TV,
newspapers.
3. % of people that say they trust news
sources above.
Intermediate outcome: Increase in 1. Number of non-government/private
private sector media outlets sector media outlets.
2. Number of non-government/private
sector news sources
End Outcome: Increased citizen 1. % of citizen who believe they have
access to government information adequate information on political,
economic, or other isues.
2. % of journalists who believe that the
government is providing them with
the opportunity to pursue issues in
full.
Intermediate Outcome: Improved 1. % of government meetings (by type)
dissemination of information open to the public
2. Number of private-public
commissions or number of meetings
held by specific private-public
commissions.
3. Number of government information
offices.