The System
System Principle 1 of 3
Strategy Mapping
The purpose of the organisation is to achieve or move towards its highest-level objective. In the diagram above we have called this Your Vision but the terminology is up to you - the system principles are the same. You define the organisation's highest-level objective within Escendency.
Normally the highest-level objective is not directly measurable so within Escendency you break it down into secondary level objectives. In the above diagram we have labelled these Aims. These secondary level objectives collectively form 100% of the mission statement immediately above it. The secondary level objectives may now be weighted in importance.
You continue doing this, going down as many levels as you need, (each time the level below makes up 100% of the objective immediately above it) until you reach performance indicators, which can be measured in the real world. These may be quantitative or qualitative.
Click to enlargeNow the strategy-map is in place you can assign responsibilities for these performance indicators to posts through the organisation, again weighted as you see fit. Here we have used the example of Directorates, Services and Teams but you assign the naming terminology.
Ultimately we reach individuals. Each individual may contribute to several objectives but through Escendency they can see exactly what they are responsible for and how they are doing; and so the whole organisation can see how it is doing, in real-time.
There are two fundamental elements to the system which have a huge attraction to me. Firstly, is the simplicity of performance reporting at a corporate level, which as Chief Executive allows me to quickly and easily get a clear perspective as to how the Council is performing against its wide range of indicators, and the alignment of these indicators with our key aims and objectives. And, secondly, the fact that the system is designed to ensure wide ownership from staff at all levels.Derek Stevens, Chief Executive, Rother District Council