Levels of Service

Dear Management Doctor:

Our city departments are in the process of establishing levels of service and performance measurements as part of our strategic/tactical plan. Can you recommend references on establishing or comparing LOS, performance measurement and benchmarking for the various departments of a small community (under 50,000)? I have had some luck through ICMA and American City and County magazine. Any other suggestions?

From,
An LOS Dilemma

Dear LOS Dilemma,

Unfortunately, I know of no comprehensive data. I would suggest:

1. High Performance Benchmarking, 20 Steps to Success, by H. James Harrington, McGraw Hill, 1995.
2. I've done some national research which I have in a small publication. Give me your address and I'll send you a complimentary copy.
3. I will soon release, over our website, a comprehensive, inexpensive performance measurement system for Planning Departments called Z Diagnostics.
4. Governing Magazine, May 1999.
5. American Journal of Evaluation, Vol 19. No 3, 1998, 367-379.
6. Harvard Business Review, November/December, 2000.

Good luck with this and hopefully our readers can add to this list.

The Management Doctor

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Reader Response

A resource on performance measurement through the ICMA is Accountability for Performance: Measurement and Monitoring in Local Government (part of the Practical Management Series); edited by David N. Ammons; International City Management Association, 1995.

Les Beck, Director
Linn County Planning & Development
Les.Beck@linncounty.org