You wouldn’t make your grocery list after you finished shopping, and you probably wouldn’t go on vacation before you packed. By the same token, you probably wouldn’t want to implement a new software system before planning what forms and reports are in the system. Even better than that, imagine that you can create your entire Performance Management Framework™ before your first piece of data is ever entered.
At ECS, we believe it’s important to plan before diving into the deep-end. It is critical to discover the reasons behind the work that you do, the ways that you define success, and build an infrastructure that allows you to keep track of it all. Here are just a few reasons to plan before embarking on a system implementation:
- Start with a clear head – When you’re building and rolling out a new performance and data system, there’s a lot going on. You’re gathering all of your paper forms together, all of your funder requirements, all of your desired reports. Your team is learning a new software and trying to communicate the process and changes to everyone at your organization. By taking some time to vision and plan and create a system that allows you to track your organization’s Performance Management Framework™, implementation becomes focused and purposeful.
- Get on board – When everyone understands the organization, its goals, and reason behind its existence, they can all move in the same direction. It’s clear why each piece of the puzzle is there, why each form is being recorded, and exactly what our organization intends to do. Clearly and openly communicating with your team is a surefire way to get their buy in to this (and any) change.
- Nothing falls between the cracks – By taking a minute to plan, your organization makes sure everyone is asking all of the questions that need asking, and recording everything that needs recording to ensure compliance.
The Outdated Logic Model
Our framework replaces the idea of a traditional logic model. While those can be valuable starting points, our approach is better. Typically, a logic model is done once, is full of lofty goals, measures things that are three to five years out, and sits on a shelf untouched. It offers no information or guidance on how to achieve those goals.
The ECS Framework takes the informative aspects of a logic model and embeds them into a data tracking system. It also maps out the steps and everyday measures an organization can take to achieve their goals. Our logic models include includes benchmarks – or checkpoints – along the way and a way to track performance regularly.
By building a Framework with ECS, you are strengthening the backbone of your organization. You will have a foundation that saves you time, effort, and money later by keeping everyone on the same page. Everyone you serve, everyone who works at your organization and even your volunteers will understand how you define success and how it is measured. When everything is aligned, you’ll also be able to apply for more grants, correct any missteps quickly, and really shine a spotlight on your good work.
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