SERVICE OUTCOMES
What changes or benefits occurred as a result of the services? / SERVICE OUTCOME INDICATORS
What will you measure to demonstrate the change that has occurred? / /
OUTPUTS
What activities will you undertake to deliver the service? /
OUTPUT INDICATORS
What will you measure to demonstrate the services you delivered? / /
INPUTS
What resources do you need to make the service happen
SERVICE OUTCOMES
What changes or benefits occurred as a result of the services? / SERVICE OUTCOME INDICATORS
What will you measure to demonstrate the change that has occurred? / /
OUTPUTS
What activities will you undertake to deliver the service? /
OUTPUT INDICATORS
What will you measure to demonstrate the services you delivered? / /
INPUTS
What resources do you need to make the service happen
Clients (parents) have improved knowledge, confidence and skills / % of parents who accepted an offer of service who can provide examples of improved parenting knowledge, confidence and skills, four weeks after exit
% of parents who accepted an offer of service who feel that they have improved parenting knowledge, confidence and skills as a result of the service / Visit parents in their home
Conduct counselling sessions with parents / No of parents offered a visit
No of parents accepting a visit
No of parents visited
No of parents agreeing to be referred to counselling
No of parents referred to counselling
No of referred parents who attend counselling sessions
No of counselling sessions attended / Income from Government
Early Childhood professional
Administrative Assistant
Vehicle
Office
Early Childhood resources
Governance and administration
Reputation and expertise
Department of Finance | Tendering for Outcomes | Developing Outcomes Toolkit
V5 October 2017
Developing Outcomes Toolkit
Hints and Tips
The‘theory of change’ diagram sets out the flow of ideas that demonstrate how using specified resources to deliver specified services will result in specified outcomes for a particular target group.
When the ‘theory of change’ diagram is complete, the arrows will outline explanations of how the inputs will lead to achievement of the community level outcome.
This format can be used to structure discussions with key stakeholders and communicate with decision makers.
Steps
- Community Outcome - Start by agreeingon a target group for your service and the overall change you want to achievefor this group. Write it in the box marked #1.
Tips:
Outcomes are usually written as ‘end point’ statements or as achievements.
In community services the outcome is the desired change (or benefit) sought for the broad target group across the community.
Outcomes usually comprise at least three parts:
- The target group you wish to assist;
- One or more change words; and
- The result you are seeking at the community level.
Note that there is no data collection at the service level for a community outcome. This is because community outcomes are influenced by so many diverse factors that make it virtually impossible to determine the contribution of one cause or another.
- How – Write a plain English, step by step, explanation of how the activities (outputs)will lead to achievement of the desired service outcome/s and (ultimately) the nominated community outcome.
Tips: Check for a logical flow from each point to the next and avoid any gaps.
- Assumptions – Now that you have set out how you are going to achieve the community level outcome, you can think through andlist all the things that must happenfor your service outcomes to be achieved.
Tips:
Use a plain-English explanation in the ‘how’ box to structure your thinking.
Use your assumptions to check if all the steps have been included in the ‘how’ box.
- Service Outcome/s – List thechanges or benefitsthat will be achieved as a result of the servicefor the people who will receive the service.
Tips:
Be clear about who the clients are for each outcome. This will almost certainly be a more narrowly defined group than in the community outcome.
Outcomes are usually written as ‘end point’ statements or as achievements.
In community services the service outcome is the desired change (or benefit) for service users as a whole.
For a service outcome it may help to describe what it would be like if the target group participated successfully in all aspects of the service.
Written outcomes usually comprise at least three parts:
- The target group you wish to assist;
- One or more change words; and
- The result you are seeking at the community level.
You may be able to find the service outcome in your plain-English explanation in the ‘how’ box by looking for ‘achievement’ words.
- Service Outcome indicators– Whatdata will you use tomeasureachievement of service outcomes to demonstrate that the change has occurred for each Service Outcome?
Tips:
Only collect data that will be used to assess the service provider’s performance.
‘Indicator’ means a value, for examplea number or percentage, which can be used as a representation of achievement of outcomes.
‘Measure’ means what you will measure to ascertain whether outcomes have been achieved.
- Outputs– What activities will form part of the service to achieve the service outcomes and how much of these activities will be provided?
Tips:
You should be able to locate the service output/s in your plain-English explanation in the ‘how’ box if you have completed it.
- Output Indicators – What data will you use to measurethe services delivered?
Tips:
Output indicators are usually simple counts of something done or numbers.
Outcome measures are often constructed using raw output data so it is important for your output indicators to be logically sound and accurate.
- Inputs – What resources are needed to make the service happen?
Tips:
Inputs or resources could be the budget allocated to the service or the service provider’s staffing and other resources applied to service delivery.
Department of Finance | Tendering for Outcomes | Developing Outcomes Toolkit
V5 October 2017