Johannesburg, 07 Nov 2011
It's safe to say that now more than ever the pressure to deliver is on. This is true for both the public and the private sector. We are all working hard towards the same end. The trick, of course, is making sure that we're all on the same page, with objectives aligned and everyone doing what they committed to doing on an ongoing basis. And with complex structures, constant pressures and the need to stay abreast of ever changing environments, it's critical to have the right tools to keep us on track.
The balanced scorecard approach adopted by the public sector links what government is trying to achieve to departmental and individual performance; ultimately driving this alignment. The challenge is how to make this work at a practical level. To illustrate by example in terms of a current scenario:
Reports, based on each department's strategic plan, are required at a ministry level on a quarterly basis. Each branch within a department is responsible for the delivery of certain aspects of the strategic plan. To enable reporting, performance progress related data must be collated from all of the branches in a specific format, and then be consolidated and a generic status assigned to each item. The reports are then consolidated and submitted to the ministry. These now form the performance contracts of the deputy general for each branch.
Sound simple? Not when feedback is collected, collated and consolidated manually from what can literally be hundreds of stakeholders, with little or no tracking in place. Limited standardisation in terms of how information should be presented, different understanding of the process at an individual or departmental level, finger trouble from a capture perspective, and countless other problems can turn what should be a relatively seamless process into an ongoing nightmare.
So, what is the solution? You need to automate the process with simple, easy to understand online forms that can be sent electronically and completed by each stakeholder, and then automatically rolled up at departmental (and ultimately government) level. And this is where ASG comes in.
ASG Performance Solutions has been operating in the business intelligence and software development arenas for over 11 years, and has, among other things, developed a number of Balanced Scorecard and Performance Management tools, most recently for the Department of Environmental Affairs.
This system enables the department to effectively manage its performance management processes online through:
* An organisational balanced scorecard system; and
* An individual performance management system.
The aim of the system is to assist in the management of capturing performance inputs both at an individual and branch level, to allow for effective performance management. Alignment to the Department of Environmental Affairs' Organisational Balance Score Card Philosophy is achieved through:
* Uploading the department's Strategic Plan Framework into the system to enable the department to clarify its vision and strategy and to translate these into actions;
* Aligning the performance objectives of the organisation with that of the individual employees.
A critical output is the generation of reports and dashboards based on the data captured, which allows for quick turnaround times and accurate consolidated online reporting; and this at the click of one button!
Key to ASG's approach is its understanding of the need to work with its clients to make sure that each system it implements meets your specific needs, and getting users to a point where they are happy to use it.
For more on ASG Performance Solutions, please contact us on info@asgworld.co.za or visit our Web site at www.asgworld.co.za.
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