Performance evaluation and reporting
Measuring performance management is an annual cycle of reviewing and reporting on the effectiveness of management activity and the condition of key values.
What is performance evaluation and reporting?
We are constantly striving to improve how we manage parks, forest and reserves—to protect values, to be more efficient, and to adapt and innovate to meet new challenges. Evaluating how we are performing is a critical part of our Values-Based Management Framework (VBMF)—it provides a check-up for our business and helps us understand how effectively we are managing parks. By using the results of monitoring, we can test whether we are achieving the targets we set during the planning process, including objectives and outcomes for managing parks.
Reporting allows us to take stock of our parks and how well we are managing them—to ask if we are doing things right and to set our future direction. All park agencies have finite resources (people, time and money) and reporting helps demonstrate that resources are being allocated to the highest priorities, that we are using public resources efficiently, and always trying to improve how we manage our parks.
Measuring how we are performing
Managing parks is a complex business and involves a broad range of management activities, processes, programs and systems. To understand what we are doing right or wrong, we need to evaluate how we perform within different parts of our business—or different stages within the management cycle. Evaluating the outcomes of management is a particularly important part of our VBMF—as this is a measure of how our park values are faring and informs future park management. QPWS has adopted an internationally agreed evaluation process to evaluate how effectively we manage parks and adapt over time.
The key questions are:
- Did we achieve what we said we would?
- Did we meet our objectives?
- Are our key values OK?
Reporting
We regularly prepare reports about how we are performing to make sure we are accountable, using public resources efficiently, focused on the department’s objectives, and continuing to improve our management.
Reports are built on the results of evaluation and are presented in ways which suit different readers including rangers, managers, government or the public. Information from reports is analysed to inform the next planning cycle and assist with setting targets for adapting and improving our management over time.
The Queensland State of the Parks Report (QSOP) will highlight the range of key values that we manage, as well as the many issues that affect the condition of our parks. It will also highlight our many achievements, as well as outlining the challenges ahead and where we can improve.
For more information on Performance Evaluation and Reporting contact QPWS Planning Services email ParkManagementPlans@des.qld.gov.au.