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European benchmarking European benchmarking with the CAFwith the CAF

ROMEROME17-18th of November17-18th of November

20032003

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Table of contentsTable of contents1. CAF Diagnosis : identification of the 1. CAF Diagnosis : identification of the

improvement areasimprovement areas2. Action plan and priorities2. Action plan and priorities3. Choice of the improvement action: 3. Choice of the improvement action:

benchmarkingbenchmarking4. Choice of type of benchmarking4. Choice of type of benchmarking5. Compose the benchmarking team5. Compose the benchmarking team6. Plan6. Plan7. Identify potential partners7. Identify potential partners

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Table of contentsTable of contents8. Develop the screening questionnaire8. Develop the screening questionnaire9. On-site visit9. On-site visit10. Result analysis10. Result analysis11. Improvement plan11. Improvement plan12. Implementation12. Implementation13. Project review13. Project review14. A new CAF diagnosis14. A new CAF diagnosis

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1. The CAF diagnosis1. The CAF diagnosis Identification of improvement areas Identification of improvement areas

following the CAF applicationfollowing the CAF application 2. Action plan and priorities2. Action plan and priorities

Draft of action planDraft of action plan Priorities setting by the management:Priorities setting by the management: e.g: crossing the strategic weighting(given e.g: crossing the strategic weighting(given

by the management)of the CAF criteria by the management)of the CAF criteria with the scoringwith the scoring

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Action plan - priorities CAF

0

0,5

1

1,5

2

2,5

3

3,5

4

4,5

5

0 1 2 3 4 5

Weight of the criteria

CA

FSco

ring

5,2

4,1

4,4

3,2

4,55,1

less important and bad

scores:leave temporarily

Less important and good scores: divest?

Important good scores : status quo and "quick wins"

Important but bad scores: priorities

2,2

5,3

4,6

3,1I

I

II

II

III

IV

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3. Choice of the improvement 3. Choice of the improvement actionaction

Improvement team

internal benchmarking

external benchmarking

external consultant

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4. Choice of type of 4. Choice of type of benchmarkingbenchmarking

Definition 1The continuous process of comparisons The continuous process of comparisons and measurements with other and measurements with other organisations everywhere in the world in organisations everywhere in the world in order to obtain information about order to obtain information about philosophies, politics, practices and philosophies, politics, practices and measurements which will help our measurements which will help our organisations to undertake actions to organisations to undertake actions to improve its performance.improve its performance.

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4. Choice of type of 4. Choice of type of benchmarking (2)benchmarking (2)

Definition 2Definition 2

« Benchmarking is simply about making comparisons with other organisations and then learning the lessons that those comparisons throw up »

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4. Choice of type of 4. Choice of type of benchmarking(3)benchmarking(3)

Definition 3Definition 3

« Improving ourselves by « Improving ourselves by learning from others »learning from others »

« Not reinventing the wheel »« Not reinventing the wheel »

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Benefits from benchmarkingBenefits from benchmarking Improvement of performance, quality, Improvement of performance, quality,

performance measurement performance measurement InnovationsInnovations Culture change: learning from the others, Culture change: learning from the others,

openess, collaborationopeness, collaboration Involvement of staff (motivation)Involvement of staff (motivation) Substitute for competition inside public Substitute for competition inside public

sectorsector Guidance tool to improve processes for the Guidance tool to improve processes for the

public sectorpublic sector

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Types of benchmarkingTypes of benchmarking What do we compare:What do we compare: ResultsResults11.11. Which organisation shows the best results? Which organisation shows the best results?

In which area?In which area?12.12. How does this organisation perform these How does this organisation perform these

good results? Which is (are) the enabler(s)?good results? Which is (are) the enabler(s)? Process Process StrategyStrategy

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9.Key performance

results

7. People results

6. Citizen/customer

results

8. Society results

5. Process and

change manageme

nt

3.HRM

2. Strategy&

Planification4. Partnership&

Resources

1.Leadership

Performance or competitive Benchmarking

ProcessBenchmarking

Strategic benchmarking

Genericbenchmarking

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5. The benchmarking team5. The benchmarking teamForm the benchmarking team: Form the benchmarking team: the self-the self-

assessment group? Some members? With assessment group? Some members? With an expert?an expert?

Criteria:Criteria: Knowledge and experience of benchmarkingKnowledge and experience of benchmarking General skills: project management, oral and General skills: project management, oral and

written communication, gathering and data written communication, gathering and data analysis, change management, team work,...analysis, change management, team work,...

Knowledge of the activity or process in question; Knowledge of the activity or process in question; its role within the organisationits role within the organisation

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6. Plan the benchmarking 6. Plan the benchmarking projectproject

Develop realistic objectives (Develop realistic objectives (SMARTSMART),),SSpecific: pecific: avoid misunderstandingavoid misunderstandingMMeasurable: easurable: achieved or notachieved or notAAction oriented: ction oriented: focused on improving a focused on improving a

specific specific process or activity process or activityRRealistic:ealistic: can be tackled with the available can be tackled with the available

time and resourcestime and resourcesTTime related: ime related: can be carried out within can be carried out within

reasonable period of timereasonable period of time

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7. Identify a potential partner7. Identify a potential partner

Essential to succeed with benchmarking will depend on a combination of factors such

as the: type of benchmarkingtype of benchmarking activities or process in questionactivities or process in question availability of time and resourcesavailability of time and resources information neededinformation needed sources of information (likely sources of good sources of information (likely sources of good

practices)practices) level of experience with benchmarkinglevel of experience with benchmarking

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Internal ou external?Internal ou external? Internal:Internal: with another unit inside the with another unit inside the

organisation itselforganisation itself ExternalExternal: : with a similar organisation (or not- if functional with a similar organisation (or not- if functional

or generic benchmarking) or generic benchmarking) national or foreign organisation (international national or foreign organisation (international

benchmarking)benchmarking) Advice: firstly internal then external if possible Advice: firstly internal then external if possible

to increase the benchmarking experienceto increase the benchmarking experience

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Internal benchmarkingInternal benchmarkingAdvantagesAdvantages

access to sensitive access to sensitive data and data and information, information,

less time and less time and resources resources consuming, consuming,

easy to transfer easy to transfer across the same across the same organisationorganisation

disadvantagesdisadvantages lacking of real lacking of real

innovation, innovation, best in class best in class

performance performance likely to be likely to be externalexternal

From units located in different areas

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External benchmarkingExternal benchmarkingAdvantagesAdvantages

Seeking outside Seeking outside best in class best in class organisationsorganisations

DisadvantagesDisadvantages transfer sometimes transfer sometimes

difficult (« not invented difficult (« not invented here » syndrome!), here » syndrome!),

more time and resources more time and resources needed to ensure the needed to ensure the comparability of data comparability of data and informationand information

LanguageLanguage

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How to find a partner in Europe?How to find a partner in Europe? EIPA - MaastrichtEIPA - Maastricht http:\\www.eipa.nlhttp:\\www.eipa.nl European databank of CAF European databank of CAF

applications in the public sectorapplications in the public sector National databank in Spain and National databank in Spain and

BelgiumBelgium

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Components of a CAF databankComponents of a CAF databank Organisation (contact)Organisation (contact) Sector of activitySector of activity Level of authority (central, regional,local)Level of authority (central, regional,local) External EvaluationExternal Evaluation Other quality tools usedOther quality tools used Strengths (N° of CAF sub-criteria)Strengths (N° of CAF sub-criteria) Good practice descriptionGood practice description National and/or international selection for an National and/or international selection for an

awardaward

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Methodology: following Methodology: following stepssteps

8. 8. Develop theDevelop the screening questionnaire screening questionnaire (common indicators)(common indicators)

9. 9. Manage theManage the on-site visit on-site visit10. 10. Analyse the resultsAnalyse the results: What they achieve and : What they achieve and

how? Compare the resultshow? Compare the results11. 11. DevelopDevelop improvement plans improvement plans12. 12. ImplementImplement good practice in the organisation good practice in the organisation13. 13. Hold aHold a project review project review14. 14. Apply the CAF againApply the CAF again

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1. Plan

2. Measure

3. Compare/Analyse

4. Implement5. Control

benchmarking in 5 stepsbenchmarking in 5 steps

Source: R. CAMP

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Progress with benchmarking in an Progress with benchmarking in an organisationorganisation

« industrial » Tourism

Performance measures developed as basis of comparisonsRigourous application of benchmarking

Formal structure to support benchmarking activities

Good practice shared as part of knowledge management system

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Conditions for success of Conditions for success of BenchmarkingBenchmarking

Senior managers support benchmarking and are Senior managers support benchmarking and are committed to continuous improvementcommitted to continuous improvement

Objectives are clearly defined at the outsetObjectives are clearly defined at the outset Scope of the project aligned with objectives, resources, Scope of the project aligned with objectives, resources,

available time and the experience level of the teamavailable time and the experience level of the team To have a clear picture of the organisation’s performance To have a clear picture of the organisation’s performance

before approching partners for comparisonsbefore approching partners for comparisons Benchmarking team have competencies or supportBenchmarking team have competencies or support Staff kept permanently informed of progress madeStaff kept permanently informed of progress made Realistic recommendationsRealistic recommendations

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Pitfalls to avoid Pitfalls to avoid Benchmarking for the sake of itBenchmarking for the sake of it Focusing entirely on comparisons of performance Focusing entirely on comparisons of performance

measures rather than the process that enables good measures rather than the process that enables good practicepractice

Expecting benchmarking to be quick or easyExpecting benchmarking to be quick or easy Spending too long time on one part of the processSpending too long time on one part of the process Expecting to find benchmarking comparable in all Expecting to find benchmarking comparable in all

respects to your organisationrespects to your organisation Asking information without sharing its own information Asking information without sharing its own information

(see the European Benchmarking Code of Conduct)(see the European Benchmarking Code of Conduct)

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Jean-Marc DOCHOTJean-Marc DOCHOT0477-32.98.790477-32.98.79

E-mail: jeanmarc.dochot@belgacom.netE-mail: jeanmarc.dochot@belgacom.net