ADM- Policy Steering - The Role and Use of Performance

The purpose of this guide

The aim of any reform is to offer the best possible policy choices to bring about a lasting change to the

living conditions of the people concerned.

Outcome indicators linked to reform objectives are now indispensable when it comes to measuring the

impact of a given policy, improving decision-making processes or making parliaments, civil society and

the general public clearly aware of the impact of the reforms in progress.

However, the great variety of situations and objectives means that there are no ‘turnkey’ tools or lists of

pre-defined indicators which match the specific circumstances and priorities of each partner country.

To help tackle the delicate issue of choosing sectoral indicators, this guide offers a reasoned method,

divided into three stages, to aid the reader and everyone involved in the implementation of a

performance-based approach and the definition or choice of the associated indicators.

The first stage involves identifying needs: what information would shed light on or reflect the specific policy aspects and challenges on which attention is to be focussed?

The second stage makes it possible to determine whether the indicators relevant to the identification of needs have the necessary characteristics to be used to set targets, to

monitor progress and to be available as required.

The third stage involves formally recording the chosen indicators on a fact-sheet

designed to provide comprehensive information about the calculation of the indicator,

document the sources used, communicate any reservations as to the quality of those

sources and give a brief idea of how the indicator can be used and interpreted.

Policy dialogue relating to the achievement of outcomes must be accompanied by a discussion on the

data on which the performance measurement approach is based. That issue is addressed in this guide

through a series of comments and examples which illustrate the main dimensions of statistical data

quality in such a way as to make the key concepts and potential impact of quality defects clear to all

readers.