Online tools available to help measure government accountability and performance

Government Management Accountability and Performance (GMAP) is a toolset used by Washington State agencies to help measure and improve their performance. GMAP also helps state agencies be accountable to citizens for the "quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of the services Washington State government provides." On the GMAP website, "how to" guides are published as resources for employees who are starting to use performance measurement and management principles within state agencies (click here to access the guides). One of the guides instructs users on how to create a dashboard, or scorecard, that can be used as a quick reference of summary information for leaders, managers, and other decision makers. Dashboards often serve as a reflection of current priorities. Many data elements, or measures, are collected and included in dashboards for easy reference and then ranked with a score or status. The selection of measures depends on who is using the dashboard and what they're using it for. Grant County Trends can be a helpful tool for local governments and non-profits wanting to create their own dashboard. Users can include measures from the Trends site for use in their dashboards, using data for Grant County and the Washington State benchmark.