Recently on Government Technology Insider, our colleagues published an article authored by Adam Luecking, about how a unique approach to Results-Based Accountability (RBA) can help government agencies create meaningful social change in their communities through data-driven strategies. Read on to learn more about how government agencies can use data to drive meaningful change in the communities they serve.
In my last article on Government Technology Insider, I discussed the challenges organizations face when making meaningful social change in their communities, and the need for cross-sector collaboration and measurable progress to help organizations create that change. I also introduced a revolutionary framework called Results-Based Accountability (RBA), which offers organizations a practical roadmap to improve societal outcomes by aligning their efforts with shared results and specific, data-driven indicators.
Measurable results are essential for government agencies, organizations, and communities striving to make a difference. Without data-driven results to evaluate the effectiveness of their efforts, it is impossible to know whether initiatives are truly making a difference or merely consuming resources.
The RBA approach encourages “turn the curve thinking,” which effectively involves identifying measurable results and indicators, and gauging the impact of activities against those key indicators. The idea is to track these metrics over time, year over year, to observe trends. If the activities can “turn the curve” and accelerate progress in the indicators an organization wants to improve, those activities are successful.
For any of this to be possible, measurement is essential.
The Importance of Measurement Tools
For those managing programs—whether running a nonprofit or working in a government agency—the key question is, “How do I know my service is truly making a difference?” And if they’re not measuring progress, how can they be sure? They could be working hard without seeing any real outcomes, which raises the question, “What’s the point?”
However, aggregating performance data and analyzing it can be a large job. It’s important that organizations aggregate data, analyze data, identify trends, and gauge performance without those processes impacting their ability to accomplish the larger mission.
Though it’s possible to implement RBA without specialized software tools, it can make the process much more challenging.
Organizations can track trends over time using Excel spreadsheets or even facilitate “turn the curve thinking” with a Word document or a flip chart in front of a group. However, if their goal is to drive sustained change, having the right tools becomes essential for data collection and meaningful analysis.
Data aggregation tools can be powerful aids, helping organizations gather data directly at the point of service where individuals or families are being served.
From there, it’s important for organizations to analyze these trends over time to understand if the changes they’re implementing are making a real impact at the population level. Applications like our Scorecard solution are designed for that exact purpose. Scorecards provide a structured way for organizations to track their performance, assess data, and monitor whether they are on track to achieve their goals.
If the RBA approach is so effective, and if tools like these can make the data aggregation and analysis needed to gauge the effectiveness of activities simple and easy, then why aren’t all government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other community groups embracing them?
Culture and Fear of Change
The RBA approach is different and a huge change for most government agencies. In most cases, agencies may not require accountability measurements and don’t fully understand the possibilities and benefits of measuring progress. If they have never had to do it, why change?
When I first started in this industry, I had to convince government agencies of the importance of measuring progress. Today, most governments understand that they need to measure progress, but they don’t always know how. As a result, my role has evolved to include more education – showing them how to measure the effectiveness of their programs and educating them on the tools that are available.
I’ve found that three things can contribute to agencies successfully embracing RBA and “turn the curve thinking.” These are:
- Leaders who embrace change: Ultimately, to make this kind of change possible, agencies need leaders who are excited about introducing new tools and concepts to the organization. Otherwise, they’ll keep doing what they’ve always done.
- Slow and steady progress: People change, tools evolve, and understanding improves over time. Every journey starts with a single step, and these large cultural and organizational changes are best done in a deliberate, disciplined, and methodical way.
- Require accountability: Government agencies need funders—people holding the purse strings—to say, “To receive this money from us, you need to provide these specific things,” and that starts with greater accountability and improved performance reporting. Additionally, funders need to invest in training leaders to understand the need for data, and how data can improve their operations.
When it All Comes Together
If organizations and agencies can come together, embrace RBA, and become committed to using data to drive measurable change, they can truly make a difference in their communities. I love to share the story of the Maryland Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services.
In 1998, former Governor Parris Glendening created the Maryland Partnership for Children, Youth, and Families and later formed a Five-year State Plan that illustrated how that partnership between various children’s services agencies and other community representatives could focus attention on the needs of children, engage citizens in policy development, and distribute funding in alignment with statewide goals for children and families to serve Maryland’s youth.
To align everyone’s efforts, they devised a common purpose for everyone to follow with eight results that listed the conditions of well-being for children and families they wanted to focus on, and twenty-seven indicators that helped measure and assess progress toward achieving these outcomes. To ensure these initiatives were successful, they used Clear Impact Scorecard to track the progress of each chosen result and labeled it, “Results for Child Wellbeing.”
Through this data-driven approach, the Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services was able to identify areas needing improvement, make better decisions, and achieve stronger outcomes. For instance, over a ten-year period, school readiness improved from 49 percent to 83 percent.
The 2013–2014 Maryland School Readiness Report revealed that 94 percent of African American children were school-ready, compared to 52 percent in previous years, and the number of Hispanic children who were school-ready increased from 39 percent to 71 percent.
By fully embracing RBA and leveraging data-driven tools like Scorecards, government agencies can drive measurable and meaningful change, making a positive impact in their communities.
The author, Adam Luecking, is the CEO and Founder of Clear Impact.