Q 32

Q 32. How do we identify outputs?

The types of performance indicators are illustrated in the Figure below:

Types of Performance Indication

Output Quantity

The most common indicator of performance is the quantity of outputs or services delivered. The following questions could be asked to identify performance indicators:

· The question, “What does the activity physically provide to its direct clients?” helps identify performance indicators. In the case of a training centre, it is training courses, and the number of training courses conducted is an indicator of performance on the dimension of quantity.

· The question, “How is the activity going to address the problems/needs that have been identified?” is based on the problems/needs analysis. Assume that the problem that the dental health program faces is the following: increased incidence of dental cavities among schoolchildren. If so, then possible actions that this program could take to solve this problem include making clinical visits to schools and offering both curative and preventive services to these schoolchildren.

Based on this action plan, we can develop the following performance indicators for this activity:

1. The number of school visits by the dental team;

2. The number of teeth extracted and the number filled;

3. The number of educational talks and promotional literature given.

· We can examine the various functions carried out by an activity as a process. Let us say that one of the functions of an organisation is training. By following this training process, we can identify the final outputs produced. These would be the number of training programs and the number of participants trained. This is illustrated in the figure below

_{The ‘Production Process’ of Training Government
Officers}

Ministry of Planning

30/9/03