1. Be realistic. We’d all like to have a magic wand but only the fairy queen has one.
2. Be clear about your outcomes. An outcome is not the activity itself (serving lunch to a group of older people who currently live at home) but the impact it has on their lives (it might increase their confidence eg ).
3. Be aware outcomes come in three shapes:
Individual: Frank feels much more confident.
Service level: 10 people are able to stay independent at home.
Strategic: More people can live the life they want.
4. Be rigorous about how you’re going to measure success.
5. Be careful to get buy-in from all relevant departments.
6. Be open. You might have to change your mind.
7. Be respectful of evidence. Experiment. Do a pilot.
8. Be clear about who’s meant to be doing what.
9. Be sure to encourage constructive feedback from all staff.
10.Be honest. Will this really make people’s lives better?
If you want to know more about outcomes-based policy development helpful reads are:
NCVO’s Measuring and Commissioning Outcomes and Social Value and The experience of the use of outcomes-based commissioning in Camden.
Hope this has been useful. Why not give me a shout if there’s a policy issue that’s keeping you awake at night. Please follow me on twitter @businesses4good.
Creative Public Affairs 