Benchmarking is used throughout many industries as method to improve the quality and efficiency. Methodology benchmarking information can then be used to identify gaps in an organization’s processes including municipalities.
Without a systematic approach that includes knowledge, data-driven, performance-based metrics with analysis leads us to
Opinion Based Decisions
Local Government Benchmarking
By benchmarking a peer city a tried and true programs it speeds up the learning process and leads the decisions makers in a systematic approach in the decision making process. The process of benchmarking approaches are data driven and performance based. Putting logic over emotion.
Comparing performance, policies with peer cities brings:
- More understanding to performance trends
- Identifies areas for improvement
- Celebrates strengths
- Creates more transparency
- Keeps the city up with current trends
- Re-establishes trust
- Driven by data and performance competitive benchmarking
- Brings greater confidence in chosen strategies
- More accurate predictions
- Brings Clarity
- Enables agility, planning and navigating through changes.
- Assists to identifying key performance metrics, key performance indicators KPI. Quantifiable measurements of performance over time for a specific objective
- Reviewing other peer government’s policy and requirements of governance.
Provides guidance, shares good practices on policies and governance models.
Policy problems cannot be solved when we don’t identify the metrics, process of the policy that created the policy issues.
Some Resources that provide Cities benchmarking
- National Research Center (NRC) at Polco gives local governments, and other public sector organizations, the data they need to make more informed decisions.
- Open Access Benchmarking ICMA’s approach to local government performance benchmarking simplifies the process by zeroing in on key indicators and providing agreed-upon definitions that help ensure meaningful comparisons. And it’s free of charge.
- STRATEGY REPORTING SOFTWARE Figuring out how your municipality stacks up is difficult—but important. Here are five resources you can use to help.
- LEED for Cities and Communities
Coming Soon:
Scottsdale’s DMO & Sedona Chamber Benchmark a Government Benchmark
In the benchmark Tourism Government Models DMO Benchmark we learned that 2 of the cities, the city themselves are the DMO, Prescott and Flagstaff. How does Scottsdale and Sedona DMO policy compare? Sedona is a very young city. Populations and tourism is similar yet different. The City of Scottsdale is a charter city with voter-approved tourism taxes. Scottsdale has a robust Tourism Policy with many elements including a Tourism Commission overseeing the entire Tourism program. The DMO, Experience Scottsdale has a specific service as a CVB, Scottsdales Convention and Visitors Bureau with restrictions and metrics being controlled by the City of Scottsdale in the first the position. Embedded in Experience Scottsdales metrics is the Qualifications of any potential members. Scottsdale has a city Auditor who audits contracts, policy and reports on required changes.
Learn more about public taxes and how good governance guide and shares good practices in policies, service related, data & performance driven and targeting the key performance indicators KPI of government policy and programs.
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