You and your staff are passionate about facilitating positive client change, and demonstrating the difference your organisation makes. We are passionate about supporting your organisation to know and show that what you’re doing works. Outcomes are central to this process. 

What do we mean by outcomes?

Outcomes are the changes that people experience as a result of working with your organisation. There are two important components here: client changes AND being able to show that these changes have occurred as a result of clients using your services.

Being able to show your organisation’s contribution turns client changes into client outcomes.

Outcomes can be difficult to define and measure. It can be challenging to find a way through this territory and its language and concepts (such as effectiveness, evaluation, evidence, measures, monitoring, results-based accountability, social investment).

Solutions

We are committed to finding practical, straightforward solutions. We can help your organisation:

1. identify and measure outcomes
2. develop a comprehensive outcomes system, integrated with your day-to-day practice
3. describe how your organisation contributes to client changes
4. assess and strengthen your outcomes capability
5. where relevant, undertake an outcomes evaluation.

Developing a comprehensive outcomes system

We have expertise in developing comprehensive outcome systems that include these key components:

• identification of outcomes that support the kaupapa of your organisation and link to outcomes required by funders
• robust measures of client outcomes in hard-to-measure areas
• a system for capturing outcomes data
• a description of how your organisation works, and how your programmes and services contribute to any client changes
• staff capability to use the system as an integral part of their daily practice
• monitoring, analysing and reporting on client, programme, service and organisational outcomes.

A comprehensive outcome system can provide wide benefits for an organisation. It can be used:

• at the individual level, clinical decision-making and professional practice
• at the programme level, understanding how well the programme is supporting change
• at the organisational level, reporting back to the community, accountability to funders, and investment decisions.

Building outcomes capability in organisations

For organisations, moving to an outcomes environment represents a significant shift from an outputs-driven funding environment.

Improved clarity and changes are needed in many aspects of the organisation to develop outcomes capability. We have found key areas include:

• leadership and organisational kaupapa
• identification of outcomes — for the organisation and specific initiatives
• measurement of outcomes — for the organisation and specific initiatives
• IT capability for capturing client data electronically
• staff capability
• understanding how the organisation contributes to client changes

Rae Torrie recently developed The Outcomes Capability Assessment and Planning Tool for the Ministry of Social Development, which supports the transition to an outcomes environment. For more information, contact Rae.

Definitions

Outcomes

The changes and impacts people experience as a result of using an organisation’s services or programme. These may be immediate or occur over the longer term.

Outputs

The services or programme activities delivered by the provider.

Outcome measurement

The instrument and process used to measure the extent to which a person, family or community is better off (or not). Areas that might be measured include:

• Skills and knowledge
• Attitudes and beliefs
• Behaviour

Outcome evaluation

Assesses in what way, and to what extent, clients and their circumstances change, and whether the service or programme has been a factor in causing the change. Outcome evaluations assess the effectiveness of a programme or service in producing change.

Monitoring

A regular, systematic activity to observe and check the progress or quality of a programme or service over a period of time. It takes place throughout the course of the programme or service.