Addressing the Risks & Opportunities of Implementing an Outcomes Based Strategy

Addressing the Risks &

Opportunities of Implementing

an Outcomes Based Strategy

About me

⁞ Registered Psychologist & Outcome Measurement Consultant

⁞ Scientist Practitioner, Clinical Psychologist, Senior Manager

⁞ Owner of consulting firm and private psychology practice

⁞ Specialising in practical and actionable outcome

measurement consulting, based on evidence, to help others

(and the sector) engage in continuous improvement

⁞ History in evidence based service delivery models, program

development, outcome and performance frameworks and

data systems

⁞ Public, private and NFP sectors (including GM of YP at

STREAT)

About you

Raise Your Hand…

⁞ Who is from a NFP/social enterprise?

⁞ Who here is from a government

organisation?

⁞ Who here is from a private organisation?

About you

Poll:

What stage is your organisation at with an

Outcomes Based Strategy?

⁞ Currently investigating

⁞ In strategic plan but not commenced

⁞ Currently developing

Let me know:

If you have identified obstacles or risks for your

organisation in implementing an Outcomes Based

Strategy…

…send these to me using your ‘chat’ feature so I

can pay special attention to those most relevant to

you during this webinar

What is Outcome

Measurement?

In a social change environment

“You Can't Manage What You Don't Measure”

paraphrasing of an original quote by Lord Kelvin. The first to use this paraphrasing was Bill Hewlett, the co-founder of Hewlett Packer.

“…if I keep no record of what I do, I can always assume I’ve succeeded.”

-Stephen Colbert-*10 Key Takeaways From Bill Gates' Annual Letter 2013*

Why does it matter?

⁞ It’s about people and it effects lives

⁞ Isn’t it vital we do that right?

⁞ It is not enough to know how many people we help

⁞ It is not enough to we want help

⁞ It is not enough to assume we are helping

⁞ We need to know if we are helping

⁞ We need evidence and we need data so that we

can keep doing it and doing it better

Social impact and change can be

difficult to quantify

⁞ It’s easier and often habitual for us to report outputs

⁞ Don’t always know exactly what we are trying to do

(“we help disadvantaged youth…”)

⁞ If we don’t define our intention, we cannot know if we

are really helping to create change

⁞ Put another way – we then only truly know how many

people we serviced but not how well

⁞ Outputs are still important but outcomes are the core,

the why we do what we do in the first place!

This might help …

Outputs Outcomes

Generally Numeric /Quantitative Generally Qualitative

Counts Impact

Number of program participants p/y Increased self worth

Number of referrals received Improved interpersonal skills

Program completion rate Improved employability

If getting your head around the idea of …

⁞ performance management frameworks

⁞ results based accountability

⁞ theory of change

⁞ program logic

⁞ outcome measurement strategy

… has been difficult and if this stops you taking the next step towards measuring how well you help …

The theory a bit much?

Consider this:

All those roads lead to

Rome!

Inputs Outputs Outcomes Impact

• Staff time• Grants• Salary• Program props• Metrics

• Meet new people• Cert I & II• Number connected to

specialist services• Numbers of young

people ‘serviced’• Numbers of referrals

made to external agencies

• Number of work experience shifts provided

• Increased confidence to interact with others

• Increased resilience• Increased confidence in

abilities• Improved employability

skills (critical thinking, decision making)

• Improved life skills (communication skills, problem solving, emotional regulation)

• Increased income• Reduce drugs & alcohol• Improved mental health• Improved housing stability

• Stable Life (stable self, stable job, stable home)

Example from STREAT

Where do we start with outcome

measurement?

If you are:

⁞ Checking in with clients and recording progress

notes

⁞ Doing pre and post assessments

⁞ Doing intake interviews that ask about functioning

You already have the bones of an outcome measurement

strategy!

What would tell you about

progress?

Find the tools you need to measure how well you do what

you do …

⁞ Surveys

⁞ Pre and post metrics

⁞ Attendance and Time Spent

⁞ Goals with rating scales

⁞ Feedback

⁞ Learn from others - PerformWell

DIRECT

SERVICE

CASE

MANAGEMENT

MANAGE

CASE LOAD

TRACK

SERVICES

AND

PROGRESS

PROGRAM

MANAGEMENT

MONITOR

SERVICE

DELIVERY

DETERMINE

WHAT WORKS

AND WHAT

NEEDS TO BE

FIXED

EXECUTIVE

LEADERSHIP

VALIDATE AND

IMPROVE

EVIDENCE OF

IMPACT

BUILD

CAPACITY AND

INCREASE

FUNDRAISING

Is it worth it? YES!

Is it worth it? YES!

Attract & Keep Funders & Investors

You can’t do good work without the funds to sustain it!

⁞ Prove you are doing/can continue doing what your mission is

⁞ No longer enough to report on ‘bums on seats’ and program numbers, funders want evidence of progress against actual social impact/social change objectives

Is it worth it? YES!

Program Effectiveness & Improvement 1

You can’t create change if your services are ineffective and you need data to know this!

⁞ Which program components are effective, and do variables such as sequencing and dose have any impact?

⁞ Discover which activities are not having impact and trim the fat

Is it worth it? YES!

Program Effectiveness & Improvement 2

You can’t create change if your services are ineffective and you need data to know this!

⁞ Continuous improvement and quality assurance to improve and support daily service delivery, including resource allocation, efficiency and effectiveness

⁞ Informed new program development e.g.. patterns of presenting issues and demographic trends

What are the obstacles and

how do we mitigate them?

Frameworks & Systems

⁞ Frameworks & terminology can be intimidating

⁞ De-mystify outcome measurement

⁞ Entrenched existing systems & processes

⁞ No growth without change

⁞ Existing poor data and lack clarity about good data

⁞ Education

⁞ Too much system customisation

⁞ System and implementer vendor performance

⁞ Pick carefully – do your research and get references

⁞ Good relationship with vendor and open communication

Support (Pre, During & Post)

⁞ Consider the board

⁞ Consider executive

⁞ Consider staff

⁞ Education

⁞ Dedication

⁞ Lead by example

Resourcing

⁞ Insufficient staff resource

⁞ Dedicated project manager + subject

matter experts

⁞ Cost, scope & timeframe over-run

⁞ Good planning, transparency pre-

project, communication and phasing

User Adoption

⁞ Frameworks & terminology can be intimidating

⁞ Staff education & training

⁞ People don’t like or are scared of the system

⁞ Good and timely access to help and support

⁞ “How does this relate to what I actually do??”

⁞ Making outcomes visible (incentive & reward)

The biggest risk is to do

nothing …

… and just keep counting!

I’m inspired now!

Where to from here?

⁞ Match your next step to where you are now

⁞ Currently investigating (education)

⁞ In strategic plan but not commenced

(education/personalised assessment)

⁞ Currently developing (personalised

assessment/research on available tools)

⁞ There are a range of people and places and tools to

help you get there

A practical & actionable way

forward with BMD

⁞ Outcomes measurement education & action plan

package (2 hours)

⁞ Outcomes measurement personalised Health

Check & implementation plan (20 hours)

⁞ Outcomes measurement tailored strategy

development (hourly rate basis)

BMD Psychology Consulting

⁞ +61 403 22 6963

⁞ www.bmdpsychologyconsulting.com.au

⁞ brenda@bmdpsychologyconsulting