Performance Management

The King County Auditor has authority to provide oversight, including technical assistance, to county agencies or programs in the development and reporting of the different elements of performance management, including strategic plans, business plans, performance measures, and other performance improvement efforts. Performance management is the strategic, systemic and integrated process by which an organization aligns and evaluates its resources and activities to meet its goals and institutionalizes effectiveness, efficiency and accountability. Performance audits are an essential element of this process and also rely on it in the conduct of performance audits when organizational strategic plans, accountability loops, and performance measures are reviewed and evaluated for alignment, design, validity, application and results.

Performance Management Work Group

By direction of the King County Council, the King County Auditor’s Office founded and has facilitated the Performance Management Work Group since 2003. Since then, the Work Group, which has representation from all agencies overseen by elected officials, has played a leadership role in building a sustainable performance-based culture in the county by developing a sense of trust and collaboration among its members in the three branches of county government.

The Work Group provides council with recommendations for code changes that promote the development a performance-based culture in the county. In 2008, the framework for performance management recommended by the Work Group became part of county code with the council’s enactment of the Performance Management and Accountability Ordinance. The Work Group continues its review and analysis of performance management-related legislation to keep it relevant and effective.

The Work Group supports the efforts of participating agencies by providing an efficient forum for gathering countywide input on deliverables, processes, and tools that facilitate and expedite the countywide planning and reporting efforts. The Work Group served as a resource in the creation of the first countywide strategic plan by assisting in the development of a draft vision, mission, and guiding principles statements, and consolidating individual analyses of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Challenges (SWOC) into a single countywide summary. The Work Group also identified priority issues to be addressed in the strategic plan.  The Work Group actively participated in subcommittees that advised and helped formulate the administration, form, and content of the employee survey, community outreach activities, and SWOC analysis process. The Work Group also provided feedback on the first two drafts of the strategic plan.

The Work Group continues to promote integration of and collaboration among the different programs and elements of performance and accountability across the three branches of government.  The Work Group is key in maintaining continuity and ensuring the sustainability of the county’s performance management efforts through its support of the continued learning and evolution of the county’s planning and performance management efforts. Thus, the Work Group will continue to develop and recommend tools (planning guidelines, training programs) and processes (agency and countywide planning and performance reporting processes) to support the county’s overall efforts.

Legislative History:

Motion 11558 (2002) outlined the criteria to be used to define performance measures and customer service measures gauging the effectiveness of the department of executive services reorganization.

Motion 11561 (2002) encouraged a deepened use of performance measures throughout county government and established a requirement to provide business plans to council during the annual budget process, starting in 2003.

Ordinance 14517 (2002) required program work plan and schedule for implementing a performance measurement system for executive departments.

Motion 11739 (2003) requested executive participation in a collaborative performance measurement work group managed by the auditor.

Motion 12005 (2004), 12161 (2005), 12363 (2006) directed the auditor to add a performance measurement program in the auditor’s office 2005, 2006 and 2007 work program and requesting the county executive, assessor, sheriff, prosecuting attorney and presiding judges of the superior and district courts to participate in an advisory performance measurement work group (2004), to develop a workplan (2005) and to advise on and scope the resource needs for the development of a strategic plan (2006).

Ordinance 15241 (2007) establishes performance audits as a vehicle for strengthening the accountability of county operations and giving the auditor oversight in the development and reporting of strategic plans, business plans, performance measures and other performance improvement efforts as directed by the council.

Motions 12791 (2008) requested from the executive and Motion 12855 (2008) accepted report formats for a King County scorecard for public transparency in county revenues, expenditures, and performance.

Ordinance 16202 (2008), later amended by Ordinance 16308 (2008), created a countywide performance and accountability system, known as the performance and accountability act to promote a culture of accountability and codifying elements of previous motions to support the work of the Performance Management Work Group, the development and requirements of a countywide strategic plan to be updated every five years, the development and requirements of five-year agency-level strategic plans, and the development and requirements of one- or two-year agency-level business plans. Ordinance 16308 also created the Office of Strategic Planning and Performance Management.

Ordinance 16897 (2010)  approved and adopted the King County Strategic Plan, 2010-2014,  created the performance and accountability group to ensure that the strategies in the plan are successfully addressing the mission, vision, principles and goals of the plan, and required the development of a performance measurement plan. 

King County Code 2.10 is the strategic planning and performance management section that codifies the Performance and Accountability Act and related legislations.

King County Code 2.10.045 codifies the composition and role of the Performance Management Workgroup:

A. The performance management workgroup is hereby created. The workgroup shall provide a forum for managers and others responsible for performance management across county government to coordinate implementation of the goals of the countywide performance management and accountability system, including the countywide strategic plan. The workgroup shall advise the county council and shall be chaired by the county auditor. The workgroup shall meet at least quarterly.

B. Members of the workgroup shall include personnel from the following agencies, department and offices:

1. The council;

2. The sheriff;

3. The prosecuting attorney;

4. The assessor;

5. The superior court;

6. The district court;

7. The auditor;

8. Each executive branch department;

9. The office of information resources management;

10. The office of management and budget; and

11. The office of strategic planning and performance management.

C. The performance management workgroup shall:

1. Advise on implementation of a countywide performance management and accountability system;

2. Provide a collaborative forum among county peers on performance management and measurement and coordinate with potential partners outside of King County government;

3. Advise on the county's training curriculum on performance management and measurement; and

4. Advise on new developments in the filed and potential opportunities to improve the county's performance management and accountability system. (Ord. 16308 § 5, 2008: Ord. 16202 § 6, 2008).