City of Syracuse Launches Performance Management Program
Online dashboard will report to the public on progress in city government Syracuse, N.Y. – The City of Syracuse today announced the launch of a new Performance Management Program designed to improve city services and accountability to the public, using a system of setting goals and reporting progress. The performance data will be published online at http://dashboards.syrgov.net/index.html The Office of Accountability, Performance, and Innovation (api) will manage the program and dashboard working with departments across city government. “In addition to establishing a system that helps our departments to identify potential areas of improvement, we are building collaboration, breaking down silos, and working together towards innovative and creative changes,” said Mayor Ben Walsh. “This program is a way for us to be transparent about the work that we are doing and to hold ourselves accountable. It also allows our constituents, the people we serve, to hold us accountable.” Objective-Key Result (OKR) Process The Mayor and City department heads established four objectives at the start of the year. Each City objective [listed on page 2] has two key results that align well with the City’s priorities and impact overall operations. Each result has a metric that measures its progress. The performance process will work as follows: Each week, api staff lead a performance meeting with department heads about one of the objectives. Staff review metrics related to their key results and discuss next steps and possible ways to improve. After the performance meeting, departments make operational changes, develop new initiatives, or alter their work to improve their day-to-day operations. “We’ve set challenging key results and metrics, so we expect the reports to demonstrate the need for more progress,” Mayor Walsh said. “That’s the whole purpose of performance management. What I’ll be looking for is consistent improvement and for public engagement on the work we are doing.” When a key result is achieved, more aggressive targets will be set or priorities shifted. Results will be updated weekly and reported on http://dashboards.syrgov.net/index.html. The City will also host public meetings to provide additional updates and public engagement opportunities. The first meeting is planned for later this year. City of Syracuse Priorities, Strategies, and Guiding Principles Mayor Walsh publicly announced the City’s guiding principles during his FY 2019 budget presentation. These principles were developed through a collaborative process with the City’s senior staff and department heads. Vision Syracuse will be a growing city that embraces diversity and creates opportunity for all. Mission As a model of innovation and citizen engagement, the City of Syracuse will consistently deliver high-quality customer experiences through proactive and efficient service. Values Accountability, Collaboration, Constituent-Focused, Cultural Competency, Data-Driven Decisions, Diversity, Empathy and Compassion, and Transparency. Key City Objectives These four objectives focus the City’s collective work in a way that fulfills the mission and drives towards the vision of being a growing city with opportunity for all. Achieve fiscal sustainability. Provide quality constituent engagement and response. Deliver City services effectively, efficiently, and equitably. Increase economic investment and neighborhood stability. Office of Accountability, Performance, and Innovation (api) The Innovation Team (i-team) staffs the Office of Accountability, Performance, & Innovation (api). The Office contains three divisions: The Data Division works with departments to better understand and use data to drive decision-making. The Innovation Division partners with departments to develop new & creative solutions to address challenges and improve operations. The Accountability Division works with departments to ensure the ongoing advancement of programs and policies. “Our office is excited to work alongside City departments, utilizing our experience and expertise in collecting and interpreting data, to identify opportunities to improve processes, and develop innovative responses,” said Adria Finch, director of api. “This program will allow the city to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of our operations and service delivery.”
