Policy Development: Performance Indicators for Effective Policy Analysis (FON1-J06)

Policy Development: Performance Indicators for Effective Policy Analysis

When developing a policy, ask yourself these key questions to help identify and propose good performance indicators:

1. Do the indicators support the communication of a clear performance story? Are there too many? One indicator per result is ideal: in some cases you may need more, but quality should supersede quantity.
2. Are the indicators clear and free of jargon? Would someone outside your organization understand how the indicator will be measured (i.e. is it reasonably self-explanatory or does it have a clear measurement methodology)?
3. Does the indicator align to the desired result (i.e. will it show progress on the achievement of the result)? Should the indicator be disaggregated by sex, gender or other identity considerations?
4. Will your organization have data on the indicator? How frequently can you collect data? Sufficiently often to track progress? Is collecting and recording the data manageable in the short term?
5. Will the indicator allow you to see change over time?