2000115-Strengthening-Communities-with-Neighborhood-Data

50 Strengthening Communities with Neighborhood Data
Although all people are equal under the eyes of the law, the services
they require from their local government are not. Simply put, equitable
service delivery does not necessarily equate to equal service delivery.
Local governments that analyze data to better understand the socioeconomic
and demographic makeup of their community’s population
can provide better services to all residents. The amenities offered at a
neighborhood park, for example, may vary widely based on the nature
of those living near the facility. If a neighborhood’s population is composed
of empty nesters and few young children, installing playground
equipment would make little sense. Likewise, the establishment of public
transportation routes and schedules needs to consider where people live
and where they work.
Data-Driven Performance Programs
Performance management programs and process improvement efforts
have sprung up in communities across the United States, all designed
to provide basic components for data-driven decision making. In 1999,
Baltimore instituted CitiStat, the first local government performance
management program in which city departments and agencies routinely
track metrics to look for substandard performance and propose solutions
if service problems are detected.
Behn (2008) employed the global term PerformanceStat to describe
these types of performance analysis programs, which use data to measure
the performance of local government departments in their delivery
of programs and services and in operational decisions based on
that data. These programs create benchmarks (i.e., the level of service
departments can deliver given the necessary staff and resources under
normal circumstances), review historical trend data, and ask questions:
If the service department isn’t delivering its programs and services at the
expected level, why not? These programs offer a degree of transparency
and accountability that demonstrate public tax dollars are being used
appropriately to deliver the programs and services to citizens. The programs
are driven in large part by the old adage that what gets measured
gets done.
Behn (2008) cautions a PerformanceStat program can easily
become the latest government fad if not implemented with integrity
and consistency and defines seven common errors governments make
in attempting to replicate successes achieved by other governments.