Q 31. What is the Role of Performance Indicators?

Performance indicators help capture performance of an activity. Such performance information:

· Enables better decisions to be made regarding the activity operations. Performance indication does not replace management discretion altogether. One cannot and should not expect performance indicators to provide a definitive picture of performance or impact; the sole role of performance indicators is to indicate the state of performance;

· Draws attention to particular areas where performance can be improved. It alerts agency managers to the need for corrective action or in-depth evaluation to solve any deep-seated problems;

· Encourages staff to maximize performance by meeting challenging performance targets;

· Offers a vehicle for performance accountability; and

· Helps in the allocation of resources based on planned levels of performance for each performance indicator identified.