Last updated: 6 March, 2002 Introduction I. Board of Directors/Governance II. Human Resources Management III. Financial Management IV. Strategic Planning V. Collaboratives/Partnerships VI. Outcomes and Quality Improvement VII. Information Technology Management VIII. Fundraising IX. Marketing Bibliography VI. Outcomes and Quality Improvement Organization's outcomes are linked to the community's desired outcomes, needs, and interests. Best Practices Suggestions for Achieving Best Practices 1. Current information is maintained on community demographics, statistics on relevant issues, and best practices for programs. 1.1 Executive Director and Board leadership identify reliable sources of both qualitative and quantitative community information as well as a process for accessing it through community stakeholders and inter-organization collaboration. 2. The organization's role in contributing to the achievement of community outcomes is understood and communicated. 2.1 Executive Director and Board leadership understand links between the community's desired outcomes, needs, and interests and organization outcomes and activities. 3. A process is identified for soliciting community and stakeholder opinion about needs and interests.   The organization's most important outcomes and related activities are defined, including who delivers what to whom and by when. Best Practices Suggestions for Achieving Best Practices 1. Executive Director and Board leadership identify key outcomes to be measured. (see Strategic Planning) 1.1 Executive Director and Board leadership convey the importance of outcomes and the relevance of activities to outcomes. 1.2 ED communicates clear expectations to staff so that they understand the outcomes for which they will be held accountable. There is an ongoing system of process evaluation in place for measuring whether activities are implemented as planned. Best Practices Suggestions for Achieving Best Practices 1. There exists a system for staff to record their activities in the normal course of their work. 1.1 Management staff design and implement systems for recording activities and collecting both qualitative and quantitative data about program activities. 2. Regular and frequent reports on organization activities are distributed inside and outside the organization. 2.1 Management staff generate reports appropriate to audience and purpose. There is an ongoing outcome evaluation system in place. Best Practices Suggestions for Achieving Best Practices 1. There is an evaluation system that operates on a regular, timely and accurate basis. 1.1 Management staff implement and maintain a simple system for measuring outcomes and instruct staff in its use. 2. Outcomes have clear and convincing measures. 2.1 All staff participate in collecting all needed measures regarding organization outcomes. Data collected through the process and outcome evaluations are readily retrievable. Best Practices Suggestions for Achieving Best Practices 1. Evaluation data are computer-entered. 1.1 Organizational leadership ensures the needed hardware and software to make accurate data collection possible. 2. Data are regularly analyzed to examine time and client trends 2.1 Management staff secures needed training for in-house staff to be able to regularly analyze data or to out-source these analysis tasks. Organization uses evaluation data to effectively communicate to staff, Board and other stakeholders about its progress. Best Practices Suggestions for Achieving Best Practices 1. Board, staff and funders regularly receive process and outcome evaluation reports that are clear and simple to read. 1.1 Executive Director and management staff implement a system for regularly reporting evaluation findings to staff, Board and other stakeholders. 1.2 Executive Director and management staff develop clear, understandable and relevant evaluation reports that measure agreed-upon outcomes. 2. Data are shared with all stakeholders 2.1 Executive Director and Board leadership develop ways to share evaluation findings with stakeholders, collaborating partners and community members. 2.2 Executive Director and Board leadership identify and work with lead stakeholders to review evaluation findings in a way that gains useful feedback to the organization. 3. Organization outcomes are presented in the context of relevant comparison data. 3.1 Executive Director and Board leadership use relevant comparison data for the organization's outcomes. There is a system in place for monitoring quality of products and services which covers achievement of objectives, completeness, comprehensiveness, accessibility, affordability, number of clients receiving services, and coordination of services with other agencies. Best Practices Suggestions for Achieving Best Practices 1. Products and services are regularly reviewed with those performing the work and those benefiting from the work to identify needs for improvement and recognize success. 1.1 Executive Director and management staff understand and apply principles of quality improvement to management practices. Employees are involved in identifying, analyzing and solving problems directly related to their own work. Best Practices Suggestions for Achieving Best Practices 1. A system is maintained for employees to identify needs for improvement in work processes. 1.1 Management staff uses methods such as brainstorming and surveys to gather ideas from employees. 2. Group problem-solving among managers and/or employees is encouraged. 2.1 Management staff leads group problem-solving using data collection and analysis, cause and effect analysis, measurable objectives, implementation tests, and evaluation of results. 2.2 Management staff facilitate meetings in a way that ensures full participation. 2.3 Management staff document decisions made and tasks assigned concisely and accurately. Back Back to top Next