DEVELOPING A BALANCED SCORECARD AND HELP CREATIVE NEW ZEALAND BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR BUSINESS.
OUR CLIENT’S SITUATION
Example: Creative New Zealand was changing from a funding body to an Arts development enabler.
Along with that shift in emphasis came a need to measure their performance across a full range of activities, not just financial. By adding non-financial indicators alongside existing measures they expected to gain more clarity. Creative New Zealand wanted to be able to:
- Tell the full story of how they contribute to the development of the Arts
- Make better decisions and focus on the best choices
- Help staff align everyday actions to organisational outcomes
Whilst Creative New Zealand had a balanced scorecard approach in mind, the approach to this particular solution needed considerable re-crafting to work. How this would be done remained unclear.
OUR APPROACH
We intentionally did not go in with pre-conceived models. We identified that developing a flexible balanced scorecard approach from the ground up (backwards if you like) was an appropriate remedy for an Arts development organisation. It allowed for staff in small teams, to engage in developing and interrogating each indicator hypothesis. They would therefore create indicators that they understood and agreed with from the outset.
A Strategy Map tying the measures to performance areas, goals and outcomes, was developed only as the teams developed sufficient clarity around the indicators and measures. This process was guided by a Futurecentric Insight consultant imbedded in all teams. We’re always very keen to provide solutions that resonate with specific work environments and their constituents.
Over 6 months, 17 refreshed and new indicators were developed by 15 teams, involving around half of the staff. These included indicators for;
- Adaptation
- Value of Networks
- Reputation
- Relevance
The teams also transferred much of this thinking to how indicators can inform their decisions and work practices informally in the current work cycle.
OUTCOMES FOR OUR CLIENT
1.Clearly see the contribution teams make to the Arts
Given the adage ‘You get what you measure.’
Creative New Zealand are now measuring 17 financial and non financial areas of their multifaceted business to get a full story of how they are doing.
2.Make better decisions
Having 17 indicators and measures to support decision-making means individually and collectively everyone can be on the same page.
3.Better align everyday actions to outcomes
Everyone at Creative New Zealand can access a set of indicators and strategy map developed by them. Therefore they gain a deeper knowledge of how the organisational components collaborate to achieve outcomes for the Arts.
