Performance Reporting: Insights from International Practice

In this report, Richard Boyle provides cross-national comparative data on good and bad practices in performance reporting, shares good practices across these countries, assesses the state of performance reporting, and provides directly relevant assistance to program managers in both central and line agencies.

Interestingly, Boyle finds that there is a clear distinction between performance reports in the United States and those in other countries he examined. On the whole, indicators contained in United States reports are more likely to report on outcomes, be quantitative in nature, meet data quality criteria, and have associated targets and multi-year baseline data.

Drawing on his qualitative analysis of indicators used in performance reports, Boyle identifies six key attributes for those involved in providing better output and outcome information and offers six corresponding recommendations for producing better performance reports.