Agencies urged to make better use of performance measures

By Elizabeth Newell enewell@govexec.com July 25, 2008 The number of federal managers who measure program performance has increased over the past decade, but managers are not using the results to inform their decisions any more than they have in the past, a Government Accountability Office official told lawmakers on Thursday. GAO credited agencies and the Office of Management and Budget with making program planning and measurement "slowly, yet increasingly" part of the government's culture. Bernice Steinhardt, GAO director of strategic issues, told members of a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee that she has observed a transformation in the government's ability to manage for results. This progress provides a solid foundation for improving government programs, Steinhardt said, but she added that the... [read full story]